Does cooking fish destroy the omega 3?

The research has generally shown that cooking fish results in very little or no significant reduction in the percentages of omega-3 fatty acids as DHA and EPA when following “normal cooking procedure”.

A recent study (Jan 2007) looked at the effects of different cooking processes of grilling, baking, frying and microwaving on fatty acid composition of cultured sea bass.They found that the fatty acid composition of the fillets was not significantly changed by grilling, baking and microwave cooking. The sea bass did lose a small amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega 3) when fried (amount unknown). An other source indicated that high cooking temperatures can destroy almost half the Omega-3 in fish.

However, it has been pointed out that the amount of DHA and EPA per 100 grams of fish typically goes up after cooking since the cooking process eliminates some of the water associated with the raw fish.

Bottom line: Baking and grilling are healthier cooking methods and won't destroy most of the essential omega 3 fatty acids found in your fish- use these cooking methods more frequently than frying.

http://dhaomega3.org/index.php?category=faq&title=1190400259 ;

YASEMEN YANAR, AYGÜL KÜÇÜKGÜLMEZ, BEYZA ERSOY, MEHMET ÇELIK (2007) COOKING EFFECTS ON FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF CULTURED SEA BASS (DICENTRARCHUS LABRAX) FILLETS Journal of Muscle Foods 18 (1) , 88–94

Go nuts, eat nuts!

Nuts may have gotten a bad rep because they're a concentrated source of calories and fat. Interestingly, its mainly their fat that provides so many of their health benefits.

Nuts are a great source of the healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, particularly when they replace saturated fat in the diet. Replacing 5% of total calories as saturated fats with unsaturated fats can help reduce your risk of heart disease by 40%!

Macadamias, cashews, almonds, pistachios, peanuts and pecans are rich in monounsaturated fat, while walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts and brazil nuts are rich in polyunsaturated fat (omega 3) .

Aside from providing a healthy dose of unsaturated fats, nuts are also a source of fibre (making nuts a great filling snacks), protein, vitamin E (an antioxidant), vitamin B6, as well as niacin and folic acid, magnesium, zinc, selenium (just one brazil nut provides the whole day’s recommendation for selenium!), phytochemicals (shown to have antioxidant properties) and plant sterols (shown to improve cholesterol).

In 2003, the American FDA released the health claim: " Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 oz per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease".

The research

It's been shown that eating 30 grams (1 oz) of nuts five times per week has been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of heart disease by 30 to 50% and lowering cholesterol levels by 10%.

In 1996, the Iowa Women's Healthy Study found that women who ate nuts >4 times a week were 40% less likely to die of heart disease.

Part of the Nurses' Health Study, published in the British Medical Journal in 1998, looked at the health of more than 86,000 women. It found that those who ate 142 grams (five ounces) of nuts per week were 35% less likely to develop heart disease than women who ate less than one ounce per week. In the 2002 U.S Physicians Health Study, Harvard researchers found that men who ate nuts two or more times per week were 47% less likely to die of a heart attack and 30% less likely to die of heart disease than men who rarely ate nuts.

The 1992 Adventist Health Study, which examined the diets of more than 31,000 Seventh Day Adventists, found that participants who consumed nuts more than four times per week experienced 51% fewer heart attacks compared to those who consumed nuts less than once per week.

How much should you eat?

Despite their healthy nutrient profile, nuts are still a concentrated source of calories in the diet. Instead of adding nuts to your diet on top of everything else you eat in a day, eat them to replace other less-healthy foods, such as foods high in saturated or trans fat.

A serving of nuts is 60 ml, 1/4 cup or about 30 grams. For nut butters, the appropriate portion size is 30 ml, or about two tablespoons. Try to include a serving of nuts or nut butters at least 3 times a week.

Finally, to maximize the health benefits that nuts have to offer, you're better off enjoying them on their own instead of drenched in salt or smothered in chocolate or added fat. Added salt, sugar and fat can offset any benefits that nuts have to offer.

Effects of processing on nuts

I have heard that roasted nuts are unhealthy. However, there are no legitimate references for this. The only source I found is from whfoods.org that states that:

Roasting nuts at a temperature higher than 170F (as in commercially roasted nuts) will cause a breakdown of their fats and the production of free radicals.

I have read that as long as nuts are dry-roasted (commercial or not) their nutritional value will be much the same as raw nuts, but with a slight reduction in B vitamins due to the heating process. On the other hand, nuts roasted in oil contain 10 per cent more calories than dry-roasted or raw varieties and they are often salted. Watch out for nuts roasted in coconut or palm oil (read the ingredients)- these nuts will be higher in saturated fats.

Nuts contain natural fats so to keep them in the best condition and slow down their oxidation, store them in an airtight container in your fridge or freezer. Nuts can be refrigerated up to four months and frozen up to six months. Nuts commonly come packaged in foil or plastic packets from the supermarket. Foil packaging protects the fats in the nuts from oxidation and gives them a longer shelf life.

Sources:
http://www.healthyfoodguide.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=101&Itemid=50 ;
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/food/nuts.html ; http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=10

Orthorexia and Drunkorexia?

There's anorexia: Extreme restriction of calories combined with fear of gaining weight and body image distortion.

There's also bulimia: binge eating followed by inappropriate methods of weight control (purging) like vomiting, fasting, laxatives, compulsive exercise.

But did you know there's also:

Manorexia: The male version of anorexia.

Binge Eating Disorder: Obsessive overeating, especially foods high in salt and sugar, that doesn't involve purging or excessive exercise to compensate for the high calorie intake.

Diabulimia: Diabetics who avoid taking insulin in order to control weight. Despite the name, purging is not typically involved.

And the newest additions:

Orthorexia: An obsession with what is perceived as unhealthy- eliminating processed foods, fats, preservatives, for example. People with this condition can dangerously deprive themselves of needed nutrients.

Drunkorexia: Caloric restriction or bingeing and purging combined with alcohol abuse.

Drunkorexia isn't an official medical term, yet, but is being used by more frequently by bloggers and the media. It describes a phenomenon that's becoming very common- anorexics and bulimics that abuse alcohol. According to experts, this is a result of society's obsession with thinness and the social acceptance of drinking and drugs- partly due to the fact that rehab among celebrities is depicted in the media as being normal and even 'chic'.

Statistics suggest that 30% of 18-24 year olds, mostly women, skip food in order to drink more.

About 25 to 33% of bulimics also struggle with alcohol or drugs, according to a study published last year in the journal Biological Psychiatry. Between 20 and 25% of anorexics have substance abuse problems, the study found.

A growing number of researchers are examining the psychological and neurological links between eating disorders and substance abuse: does eating a chocolate bar, or bingeing and purging, stimulate the same pleasure centers in the brain as drugs or alcohol?

We're realizing that food can function in the same way as alcohol or drugs but that causes some complications with treatments: the response to addiction is abstinence but abstaining from food isn't an option.

Source: NY Times.

Does exercising at low intensity burn more fat?

No!

True, at rest, the average person uses about 60% fat for each calorie burned, vs 40% carbohydrate. So, the primary fuel is fat but not many calories are burned.

At relatively low intensities (50% Vo2max), both fat and carbohydrates are used at a slow rate of about 3-5 calories per minute.

As the intensity increases, our body starts to use more carbs than fat for each calorie burned. The shift to carbs is due to the availability of oxygen.

Based on the fact that the body starts to use more carbs than fat at higher intensities, many people believe that to burn more fat, they should workout at relatively low intensities.
Not so.
Fat's always being used as fuel during exercise- even at higher intensities; just in smaller amounts.

Let's compare 2 workout intensities for the same person exercising on a treadmill for 30 minutes. The number of calories is made up but the %fat burned isn't.

1. 50% Vo2max- 200 calories burned- 50% fat burned = 100 fat calories burned.
2. 70% Vo2max- 310 calories burned- 40% fat burned = 124 fat calories burned.

Even though the percentage of fat decreases as intensity increases, the total amount of fat burned is higher with higher intensities because the total calories burned is higher.

So, want to maximize fat reduction? Exercise as hard as possible for as long as possible and as often as possible, without overtraining!

Fish vs. Flax

Omega 3 is definitely a hot topic these days and we're now hearing that plant sources of omega 3 (ie flax seeds) are not as good a source as marine sources. This will be the first of many blogs on omega 3s cause there's so much to talk about!

Let's start with a bit of an explanation of omega 3s.

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is a plant source omega-3 essential fatty acid (EFA). It is “essential” because our bodies can’t make it. Two other omega-3 fats are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

ALA is found mainly in flax seeds and walnuts, and in flax, canola and soybean oils. EPA and DHA are found mainly in fatty fish such as herring, salmon, mackerel and bluefin tuna, and the fish oil supplements made from them. Marine algae, the base of the oceanic food chain, are rich sources of DHA but contain little EPA.

EPA is not technically “essential” because our bodies make it from ALA, although conversion is not efficient and rates vary, based on many factors. DHA conversion from ALA is so poor that some authorities think it should be classified as “conditionally essential.”

Conversion of ALA to DHA and EPA

The overall conversion efficiency from ALA to EPA plus DHA combined is estimated to be only 12%. However, the conversion of ALA to DHA has been found to be highly variable between people and was found to be as low as less than 0.1% (and a conversion to EPA plus DHA combined of less than 0.4%) in one study. Yet another study, this one from the U.K., has compared the apparent conversion efficiency of ALA to DHA in young adult men and women. Interestingly, no detectable formation of DHA was found in the men whereas an approximate conversion efficiency from ALA to DHA of 9% was found in women.

In summary, the conversion efficiency from ALA to DHA is very limited in healthy individuals.

Do we need DHA? Yes!

30 years ago, work done at the Department of Nutrition at the University of Guelph showed that the feeding of omega-3 enriched diets to female rats prior to mating and throughout pregnancy and lactation along with the feeding of similar diets to their babies resulted in the pups showing superior learning capacity compared to the group that had diets with negligible levels of omega-3. These authors correlated the superior learning ability in the omega-3 fed animals to higher levels of DHA in the brain tissue. Subsequent studies from numerous labs have supported these early findings and have led to the conclusion that DHA is a physiologically-essential fatty acid required at high levels in brain tissue for optimal neurological performance and functioning.

DHA is known to significantly alter many basic properties of cell membranes. These various properties and mechanisms of action of DHA in the nervous system are thought to underlie its role in brain functioning such as learning ability, memory, etc.
The high levels of DHA in the brain and nervous system are actively deposited particularly during the last trimester of pregnancy and during the first two months of infancy and very early years of a child's life.
A study of 815 elderly people living in Chicago found that those with the highest DHA intake had the most protection against Alzheimer’s disease. Several neurological/behavioral disorders have been suggested to be associated with depressed levels of DHA or DHA plus EPA combined. These not only include Alzheimer's, but depression (including post-partum depression), behavioral disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and hyperactivity, as well as developmental coordination disorder.

EPA and DHA keep cell membranes flexible/elastic and block the actions of some compounds that cause inflammation and clotting. Chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, certain skin disorders, gastrointestinal disorders (ie. Crohn's, inflammatory bowel disorders) are marked by inflammation. DHA and EPA have been shown to help reduce the risk of these chronic diseases by blocking inflammation and have also been found to improve many of these conditions.

Lots of studies have also shown an inverse relationship between the consumption of fish containing EPA + DHA and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cardiac death. Higher intakes of DHA and EPA can lead to reductions in fasting triglyceride levels, lowering of the triglyceride:HDL-cholesterol ratio, thinning of the blood, reduction in blood clots, lowered resting heart rate, reduced carbohydrate-induced blood fat surges after a meal and reduced atherosclerotic plaques.

Population studies have also revealed apparent benefits of consuming fish containing DHA plus EPA in a wide variety of conditions including chronic eye conditions (cataracts, dry eye), epilepsy, allergic sensitivity in very young children, pneumonia, lung/breathing capacity and chronic pulmonary disorders, plus other conditions recently reported including bone and joint health and fibromyalagia.

Where do we get DHA and how much do we need?

DHA plus EPA are completely absent from plant food sources rich in ALA (such as flax, canola oil, and walnuts). Since the metabolic conversion of ALA to DHA/EPA (combined) by metabolism is very limited in humans, the most direct way of providing DHA plus EPA for the body is via their direct consumption.

The American Heart Association and the Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation has recommended two fatty fish servings per week for people who are healthy individuals without cardiovascular disease. The DHA plus EPA (combined) equivalency of such fish consumption is approximately 250-300 mg/day.

The American Heart Association in its official Dietary Guidelines (2000) recommended that the daily intake of DHA plus EPA in individuals with coronary heart disease should target 900 mg/day since this amount has shown to be beneficial in affecting coronary heart disease mortality rates in patients with coronary disease. Consumption of one fatty acid meal per day (or alternatively, a fish oil supplement) could result in an omega-3 fatty acid intake (i.e. EPA and DHA) of ~900mg per day

Increasing intakes of DHA/EPA (combined) up to approximately 650-700 mg/day (4-5 fatty fish dishes/week) are associated with overall reductions in all-cause as well as coronary disease-related mortality.

A study showed that those consuming 5 or more servings fatty fish per week had a 31% overall reduction relative to those eating fish less than once per month. It is possible that other components in fish other than DHA/EPA may offer benefits independent of or synergistic to DHA + EPA.

What if you don't want to eat fish?

For many reasons- over-fishing, the buildup of toxic minerals and other toxic substances in fish flesh, environmental problems, and cruelty to fish and sea mammals- fish are becoming less and less of a desirable source of DHA and EPA for many people.

Vegetarians who consume an average of 4-5 regular eggs per week would have a daily intake of DHA of approximately 33 mg with 3 mgs present as EPA. The ovo (egg-eating) vegetarian could increase their daily intake of DHA considerably by consuming omega-3 eggs such as are becoming commonplace in the North American marketplace.

The absence or low-levels of DHA in the diet of vegetarians is reflected in their physiological levels of DHA such as that present in expressed breast milk. The levels of DHA in breast milk (total fat) from vegan women have been found to be approximately one-third the levels found in the breast milk from omnivorous women.

For vegan vegetarians who consume no fish or animal food sources whatsoever, increasing their intake of dietary ALA (omega-3) as well as reducing their intake of omega-6 and lowering their omega-6:omega-3 ratio can provide a moderately better metabolic conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA. That's because high levels of omega 6 is a contributor to the decrease conversion levels of ALA to EPA and DHA.

Algae is the only vegetarian source that provides a meaningful DHA amount. Algal sources of DHA have recently become available which, when taken as supplements or via fortified foods such as DHA-enhanced soymilk, can provide a non-animal source of DHA. Such supplementation with DHA in vegetarian women is known to dramatically elevate DHA levels in breast milk within a short period of time.

Should we still eat flax seeds? Yes

Flax seeds provide much more than the richest source of ALA. Flaxseed is approximately 38% oil, which is comprised mainly of ALA, 28 % fiber (approximately two-thirds insoluble), 20% protein with an amino acid profile similar to soybeans; 7 % carbohydrates (simple sugars, lignans, phenolic acids and hemicellulose), 4% ash, 2% minerals (magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorous, sodium, copper, zinc, manganese, selenium), 0.32% vitamins A, B₁, B₂, D, E, and niacin, 0.15% lecithin, 0.1 % flavonoids and 0.1% phytic acid.

Besides the omega-3 content, flax’s most beneficial compounds are likely its lignans and fiber. Lignans are phyto-estrogens – plant compounds that can have estrogen-like actions.

Through the actions of the lignans and ALA, flax blocks tumor growth in animals and may help reduce cancer risk in humans.

The major lignan in flax is is a powerful phytoestrogen chemically similar to the breast cancer drug tamoxifen. Postmenopausal women consuming 5 or 10 grams of milled flax over seven weeks showed significant reductions in blood concentrations of the most potent estrogen, estradiol, and its less potent sister, estrone. This may be desirable for postmenopausal women who have a high risk of breast cancer. This lignan is also a potent antioxidant – 500% more powerful than vitamin E!
These lignans have shown such extraordinary potential that they have been studied by the National Cancer Institute for their cancer-preventative properties. Studies have shown a substantial reduction in breast cancer and prosate cancer in people with high inakes of this lignan.

Flax has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels and help reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke, likely related to fiber content, but partly through the actions of ALA, which may be especially important to vegetarians and people with low intakes of fatty fish.

In a cohort of more than 45,000 U.S. men followed for 14 years, each 1g/day increase in dietary ALA intake was associated with a 16% reduction in the risk of heart disease. In a cohort of more than 76,000 U.S. women followed for 10 years, those with the highest ALA intakes (approx. 1.4 g/day) had a 45% lower risk of fatal heart disease than women with the lowest intakes (~0.7 g/day). Findings from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study of 45,722 men indicated that each gram of ALA in the daily diet was associated with a 47% lower risk of heart disease among men with low intakes of EPA and DHA (<100mg/d)

Flax’s soluble fibers also promote intestinal health and glycemic control.

So much for trying not to make this long! That's it for now but stay tuned for DHA content of specific foods and the safety of fish oil supplements!

Sources: http://dhaomega3.org/ , http://www.chiroweb.com/columnist/maher/

Largest meat recall in US history

The USDA ordered the recall of 143 million lbs of beef Feb 17th from a California slaughterhouse, Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. The recall affects all of the company's past 2 years' production and is the biggest in US history.

Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co is the second largest supplier of beef to school lunch programs and also provides meat to various federal programs. Officials estimate that about 37 million pounds of the recalled beef when to school programs but they believe most of the meat probably has already been eaten. So far there have been no reported illnesses resulting from the meat.

The recall comes on the heels of an undercover investigation, and video, by the Humane Society of the United States.
The video is extremely disturbing and sad ... but I think you should watch it to see what happens in slaughterhouses and to understand the recall.

The video shows workers at the plant using several abusive techniques to make "downer" animals stand up and pass a pre-slaughter inspection. California law mandates that cattle unable to stand or walk be humanely euthanized or removed from the premises, and the US Department of Agriculture prohibits the processing of meat from downer cattle. These workers were trying to get the sick and injured cows to stand up and walk into the slaughterhouse to squeeze as much money out of their cows. They resort to ramming cattle with forklift blades, using a heavy hose on the animal's face, kicking and shocking cows, pocking them in the eyes and otherwise abusing these animals that are too sick or injured to walk into the slaughterhouse.

Federal regulations call for keeping downed cattle out of the food supply because they may pose a higher risk of contamination from E. coli, salmonella or mad cow disease since they typically wallow in feces and their immune systems are often very weak.

The law prohibits maliciously and intentionally maiming, mutilating, torturing, or wounding a living animal. Two former employees have been charged. Five felony counts of animal cruelty and three misdemeanors were filed against a pen manager. Three misdemeanor counts — illegal movement of a non-ambulatory animal — were filed against an employee who worked under that manager. Both were fired.
Operations at the company have been temporarily suspended.

USDA is facing questions as to why inspectors failed to notice the problem even though 5 worked at the California plant. And, of course, you have to wonder that had the Humane Society not released these videos, would what seems to be the common practice of including sick cattle into the food supply have ever been questioned? Would the shockingly cruel treatment of these animals ever have been exposed? Could the USDA floor inspectors, who have undoubtedly witnessed this kind of treatment of cattle before, be counted on to do the right thing to protect us or would they simply turn their heads as they have done in this case?

On a side note, being a non-meat eater, although the footage was very hard to look at,
sending healthy cows to slaughter was as difficult to watch.