Thanks to Stephan Guyenet for bringing the study n-6 Fatty acid-specific and mixed polyunsaturate dietary interventions have different effects on CHD risk: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials to my attention in his post Diet-Heart Controlled Trials: a New Literature Review. This shows that diets high in omega-6 (n-6) polyunsaturates but low in omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturates are heart-unhealthy.
In the West, we are advised to eat lots of "heart-healthy" sunflower oil & spreads. These contain about 70 times more omega-6 than omega-3. Safflower, Grapeseed, Corn & Groundnut Oils also have high omega-6:omega-3 ratios, according to Comparison of Dietary Fats Chart.
I then found the following study also on the British Journal of Nutrition:- Estimated macronutrient and fatty acid intakes from an East African Paleolithic diet.
This shows that traditional hunter-gatherer diets have a short-chain omega-3:omega-6 ratio of 1·12–1·64 and a long-chain omega-3:omega-6 ratio of 0·84–1·92. In other words, there is a moderate balance between omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturates.
The diets are also relatively high in protein (25–29% energy) and fat (30–39% energy) but moderate in carbohydrate (39–40% energy).
I thought that followers of a Paleo-type diet would find this interesting.
EDIT: I've just noticed that O Primitivo has already posted about this study!
Showing posts with label EFAs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EFAs. Show all posts
Friday, 3 December 2010
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Cancer.
By request, I'm writing about cancer. I didn't know this, but cancer is now the No.1 killer of men in the UK. I previously thought that coronary heart disease was the No.1 killer.
Cancer is such a huge subject that, rather than oversimplify it, I'll put a link to Wikipedia. Warning: Pictures of tumours.
Vitamins get a mention, particularly Vitamin D, but EFAs aren't mentioned. This is odd, as typing "Omega-3 Cancer" into PubMed yields 612 human studies going back to 1984. Here are some of them:-
Some effects of the essential fatty acids linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid and of their metabolites gamma-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and of prostaglandins A1 and E1 on the proliferation of human osteogenic sarcoma cells in culture.
Selective killing of human cancer cells by polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Chronic arachidonic acid eicosanoid imbalance: a common feature in coronary artery disease, hypercholesterolemia, cancer and other important diseases. Significance of desaturase enzyme inhibition and of the arachidonic acid desaturase-independent pathway.
n-3 fatty acids and cancer.
Fish consumption and breast cancer risk: an ecological study.
Effect of docosahexaenoic acid on rate of differentiation of HL-60 human leukemia.
N-3 and N-6 fatty acids in breast adipose tissue and relative risk of breast cancer in a case-control study in Tours, France.
Opposing effects of dietary n-3 and n-6 fatty acids on mammary carcinogenesis: The Singapore Chinese Health Study.
Induction of apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells by docosahexaenoic acid.
Dietary intakes of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the risk of breast cancer.
Nutritional knowledge of primary health care physicians in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
13.12.09: Some newer studies:-
A systemic review of the roles of n-3 fatty acids in health and disease.
Anticancer actions of omega-3 fatty acids--current state and future perspectives.
The effect of omega-3 FAs on tumour angiogenesis and their therapeutic potential.
Therapeutic potential of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in disease.
Fish oil enhances the antiproliferative effect of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on liver cancer cells.
EDIT: I've been reading about a substance called methylglyoxal, a glycolysis inhibitor. As many types of malignant cancer cells rely on the glycolysis pathway for energy, methylglyoxal looks like a promising anti-cancer agent.
See In vivo assessment of toxicity and pharmacokinetics of methylglyoxal. Augmentation of the curative effect of methylglyoxal on cancer-bearing mice by ascorbic acid and creatine,
A brief critical overview of the biological effects of methylglyoxal and further evaluation of a methylglyoxal-based anticancer formulation in treating cancer patients,
Selective inhibition of mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis in human leukaemic leucocytes by methylglyoxal and
Critical evaluation of toxic versus beneficial effects of methylglyoxal.
It looks like the Indians are ahead of everyone else on this stuff.
Well, well, well. Controversy!
"Methylglyoxal is a regular chemical, not cleared for human use. It is made without conforming to sound manufacturing practices and widely respected codes of good laboratory practices followed throughout the world." O, RLY? See below.
"The IACS' main supplier of Methylglyoxal is an American warehouse corporation, Sigma Medical Company, which sells it for research purposes at $1 to 2 per gramme and specifically states that none of its chemicals is meant for medical use." If everyone stuck to the "rules", humankind would never make any progress.
The principal scientist involved is Professor Manju Ray, a biochemist, not a pharmacologist or cancer specialist." Biochemists know how cells work, so I would say that's a plus point, not a minus point. It's also argumentum ad-hominem.
"The "secret" of the "miracle" lies in the anti-tumour effect of Methylglyoxal - a property shared by hundreds of toxic chemicals. Methylglyoxal, it is claimed, inhibits electron flows in cancerous cells and blocks a crucial step necessary for the production of ATP, the cellular energy "currency". Methylglyoxal isn't anywhere near as toxic as standard chemotherapy drugs. Someone needs to learn some basic biochemistry!
"A critical ingredient, a control group with which the treated patients are compared, is absent from the study." It's unethical to have one group denied a treatment that might save their lives. The Lyon Diet-Heart trial was discontinued because the control group had a much higher mortality than the treated group.
"The researchers treated 24 patients, mostly in highly advanced stages of cancer, with oral administration of Methylglyoxal, with Vitamin C, over eight to 10 weeks. They claim that after treatment, 11 were in "excellent physical condition" and five were in a condition that "can be considered stable". "The rest either opted out of treatment or died during the course of study." This is disturbing enough." You left out the creatine and 0 out of 24 would almost certainly have survived without treatment.
"The study does not show how, through what process, the "cure" occurs." That's not the purpose of the study.
"What is equally astonishing is that the drug should be used in clinical trials on human beings in the first place. Such trials are permissible only after the pharmaco-kinetics (the way and the speed with which the body will handle the drug) is properly understood, and trials on experimental animals have been carried out. In this case, the first criterion was not fulfilled. And there is no mention of animal trials." An animal trial had been done. See the 1st study above.
Cancer is such a huge subject that, rather than oversimplify it, I'll put a link to Wikipedia. Warning: Pictures of tumours.
Vitamins get a mention, particularly Vitamin D, but EFAs aren't mentioned. This is odd, as typing "Omega-3 Cancer" into PubMed yields 612 human studies going back to 1984. Here are some of them:-
Some effects of the essential fatty acids linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid and of their metabolites gamma-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and of prostaglandins A1 and E1 on the proliferation of human osteogenic sarcoma cells in culture.
Selective killing of human cancer cells by polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Chronic arachidonic acid eicosanoid imbalance: a common feature in coronary artery disease, hypercholesterolemia, cancer and other important diseases. Significance of desaturase enzyme inhibition and of the arachidonic acid desaturase-independent pathway.
n-3 fatty acids and cancer.
Fish consumption and breast cancer risk: an ecological study.
Effect of docosahexaenoic acid on rate of differentiation of HL-60 human leukemia.
N-3 and N-6 fatty acids in breast adipose tissue and relative risk of breast cancer in a case-control study in Tours, France.
Opposing effects of dietary n-3 and n-6 fatty acids on mammary carcinogenesis: The Singapore Chinese Health Study.
Induction of apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells by docosahexaenoic acid.
Dietary intakes of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the risk of breast cancer.
Nutritional knowledge of primary health care physicians in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
13.12.09: Some newer studies:-
A systemic review of the roles of n-3 fatty acids in health and disease.
Anticancer actions of omega-3 fatty acids--current state and future perspectives.
The effect of omega-3 FAs on tumour angiogenesis and their therapeutic potential.
Therapeutic potential of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in disease.
Fish oil enhances the antiproliferative effect of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on liver cancer cells.
EDIT: I've been reading about a substance called methylglyoxal, a glycolysis inhibitor. As many types of malignant cancer cells rely on the glycolysis pathway for energy, methylglyoxal looks like a promising anti-cancer agent.
See In vivo assessment of toxicity and pharmacokinetics of methylglyoxal. Augmentation of the curative effect of methylglyoxal on cancer-bearing mice by ascorbic acid and creatine,
A brief critical overview of the biological effects of methylglyoxal and further evaluation of a methylglyoxal-based anticancer formulation in treating cancer patients,
Selective inhibition of mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis in human leukaemic leucocytes by methylglyoxal and
Critical evaluation of toxic versus beneficial effects of methylglyoxal.
It looks like the Indians are ahead of everyone else on this stuff.
Well, well, well. Controversy!
"Methylglyoxal is a regular chemical, not cleared for human use. It is made without conforming to sound manufacturing practices and widely respected codes of good laboratory practices followed throughout the world." O, RLY? See below.
"The IACS' main supplier of Methylglyoxal is an American warehouse corporation, Sigma Medical Company, which sells it for research purposes at $1 to 2 per gramme and specifically states that none of its chemicals is meant for medical use." If everyone stuck to the "rules", humankind would never make any progress.
The principal scientist involved is Professor Manju Ray, a biochemist, not a pharmacologist or cancer specialist." Biochemists know how cells work, so I would say that's a plus point, not a minus point. It's also argumentum ad-hominem.
"The "secret" of the "miracle" lies in the anti-tumour effect of Methylglyoxal - a property shared by hundreds of toxic chemicals. Methylglyoxal, it is claimed, inhibits electron flows in cancerous cells and blocks a crucial step necessary for the production of ATP, the cellular energy "currency". Methylglyoxal isn't anywhere near as toxic as standard chemotherapy drugs. Someone needs to learn some basic biochemistry!
"A critical ingredient, a control group with which the treated patients are compared, is absent from the study." It's unethical to have one group denied a treatment that might save their lives. The Lyon Diet-Heart trial was discontinued because the control group had a much higher mortality than the treated group.
"The researchers treated 24 patients, mostly in highly advanced stages of cancer, with oral administration of Methylglyoxal, with Vitamin C, over eight to 10 weeks. They claim that after treatment, 11 were in "excellent physical condition" and five were in a condition that "can be considered stable". "The rest either opted out of treatment or died during the course of study." This is disturbing enough." You left out the creatine and 0 out of 24 would almost certainly have survived without treatment.
"The study does not show how, through what process, the "cure" occurs." That's not the purpose of the study.
"What is equally astonishing is that the drug should be used in clinical trials on human beings in the first place. Such trials are permissible only after the pharmaco-kinetics (the way and the speed with which the body will handle the drug) is properly understood, and trials on experimental animals have been carried out. In this case, the first criterion was not fulfilled. And there is no mention of animal trials." An animal trial had been done. See the 1st study above.
Sunday, 25 January 2009
Very Low Calorie Diets (VLCDs)
A well-known VLCD is The Cambridge Diet. Lighter Life is another VLCD.
The VLCD is, as its name suggests, very low in Calories and is aimed at morbidly obese people i.e. people who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 40. Such people are at a very high risk of dropping dead of a heart attack and they are also at a high risk of complications caused by high blood pressure, high blood glucose, high blood triglycerides, high blood cholesterol, high blood LDL-c, low blood HDL-c and high blood uric acid. In addition, morbidly obese people have breathing problems e.g. sleep apnoea and they are also at a high risk of dying while under anaesthetic if they need to be operated on. Such people need to lose weight rapidly. However, people who are overweight (BMI 25-29.9) or obese (BMI 30-39.9) or who are just unhappy with their bodies should not embark on a VLCD as the risks outweigh the benefits.
1) VLCDs result in rapid weight loss. You may think that this is a good thing, but rapid weight loss brings with it problems.
a) Excessive loss of muscle. This is more of a problem for women who, because they have naturally-low testosterone levels, have great difficulty regaining any lost muscle.
b) High risk of developing Gallstones. Rapid weight loss results in an increase in the concentration of cholesterol in bile. This increases the risk factor for gallstones, something that women have a higher risk factor for than men. There's an acronym FFFF for people who are at a high risk of developing gallstones. It stands for Female, Forty, Fat, Fair. What makes the situation even worse is that VLCDs are very low in fat. The gallbladder is a muscular bag which stores bile. When dietary fat is eaten, this stimulates the secretion of cholecystokinin, which then stimulates contraction of the gallbladder muscle, which expels bile from inside the gallbladder into the duodenum. The lower the fat content of a meal, the less the gallbladder contracts and gallbladder stasis can result with only 2g of fat per meal. See The role of gallbladder emptying in gallstone formation during diet-induced rapid weight loss. The problem with this study is that the two groups of subjects were not eating the same number of calories. See Gallbladder motility and gallstone formation in obese patients following very low calorie diets. Use it (fat) to lose it (well) and Similarity in gallstone formation from 900 kcal/day diets containing 16 g vs 30 g of daily fat: evidence that fat restriction is not the main culprit of cholelithiasis during rapid weight reduction.
In these studies, both groups were on the same calorie intake. In the second study, 17% of the low-fat group developed gallstones whereas only 11.2% of the higher-fat group developed gallstones.
The other problem with a very low fat intake is EFA deficiency. Essential Fatty Acids are called that for a reason....they are essential for us to live. Dry skin & hair are common on VLCDs. The small amount of fat that there is in a VLCD almost certainly contains mostly omega-6 polyunsaturates. A lack of omega-3 EFAs can adversely affect mental function. Depression is common on VLCDs. See Omega-3 fatty acids and major depression: A primer for the mental health professional. Another problem with very low fat intakes is a lack of fat-soluble vitamins, particularly Vitamins D3 and K. See Vitamin D and Vitamin K.
2) VLCDs contain excessive amounts of sugars. This has two problems.
a) Unstable blood glucose & insulin levels. See Blood Glucose, Insulin & Diabetes. You don't notice peaks in blood glucose & insulin. However, a huge peak in blood insulin followed by a drop to normal causes severe hunger pangs. See How low-carbohydrate diets result in more weight loss than high-carbohydrate diets for people with Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes. Some people suffer from neurosis. See Hypoglycemia & Neurosis.
b) Sedentary people's bodies don't burn much carbohydrate. See Everyone is Different. At rest, on average a fasted person derives ~65% of energy from fats and ~35% from carbohydrate, although there are extremes of 93% fat-burning to 20% fat-burning. Even if someone who has full glycogen stores derives 100% of their energy at rest from carbohydrate, as they are only burning ~1kcal/minute at rest, their body is only burning 0.25g of carbohydrate/minute. So why feed someone carbohydrate when their body doesn't need it?
c) People with excess belly fat almost certainly have The Metabolic Syndrome. This causes various problems including high serum triglycerides (TGs). Eating carbohydrate that isn't burned and can't be stored raises TGs. I know about this as I have blood test results which showed TGs increasing with increasing carbohydrate intake. High TGs are bad news for your arteries. See Cholesterol And Coronary Heart Disease.
3) VLCDs don't contain enough protein. Protein supplies Amino Acids (AAs) to the body. These are used to preserve muscle mass. AAs can also be used to generate blood glucose in the liver by a process called Gluconeogenesis (GNG), which makes the consumption of carbohydrates redundant for most sedentary people.
4) VLCDs don't contain enough fibre/fiber. Constipation is common on VLCDs.
In my next Blog post, I will discuss a Rapid Fat Loss alternative to the VLCD that overcomes all of the above problems and is therefore much safer and more pleasant to be on. See The Protein-Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF)
For a discussion of VLCDs, see What do you think of Very Low Energy Diets?
The VLCD is, as its name suggests, very low in Calories and is aimed at morbidly obese people i.e. people who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 40. Such people are at a very high risk of dropping dead of a heart attack and they are also at a high risk of complications caused by high blood pressure, high blood glucose, high blood triglycerides, high blood cholesterol, high blood LDL-c, low blood HDL-c and high blood uric acid. In addition, morbidly obese people have breathing problems e.g. sleep apnoea and they are also at a high risk of dying while under anaesthetic if they need to be operated on. Such people need to lose weight rapidly. However, people who are overweight (BMI 25-29.9) or obese (BMI 30-39.9) or who are just unhappy with their bodies should not embark on a VLCD as the risks outweigh the benefits.
1) VLCDs result in rapid weight loss. You may think that this is a good thing, but rapid weight loss brings with it problems.
a) Excessive loss of muscle. This is more of a problem for women who, because they have naturally-low testosterone levels, have great difficulty regaining any lost muscle.
b) High risk of developing Gallstones. Rapid weight loss results in an increase in the concentration of cholesterol in bile. This increases the risk factor for gallstones, something that women have a higher risk factor for than men. There's an acronym FFFF for people who are at a high risk of developing gallstones. It stands for Female, Forty, Fat, Fair. What makes the situation even worse is that VLCDs are very low in fat. The gallbladder is a muscular bag which stores bile. When dietary fat is eaten, this stimulates the secretion of cholecystokinin, which then stimulates contraction of the gallbladder muscle, which expels bile from inside the gallbladder into the duodenum. The lower the fat content of a meal, the less the gallbladder contracts and gallbladder stasis can result with only 2g of fat per meal. See The role of gallbladder emptying in gallstone formation during diet-induced rapid weight loss. The problem with this study is that the two groups of subjects were not eating the same number of calories. See Gallbladder motility and gallstone formation in obese patients following very low calorie diets. Use it (fat) to lose it (well) and Similarity in gallstone formation from 900 kcal/day diets containing 16 g vs 30 g of daily fat: evidence that fat restriction is not the main culprit of cholelithiasis during rapid weight reduction.
In these studies, both groups were on the same calorie intake. In the second study, 17% of the low-fat group developed gallstones whereas only 11.2% of the higher-fat group developed gallstones.
The other problem with a very low fat intake is EFA deficiency. Essential Fatty Acids are called that for a reason....they are essential for us to live. Dry skin & hair are common on VLCDs. The small amount of fat that there is in a VLCD almost certainly contains mostly omega-6 polyunsaturates. A lack of omega-3 EFAs can adversely affect mental function. Depression is common on VLCDs. See Omega-3 fatty acids and major depression: A primer for the mental health professional. Another problem with very low fat intakes is a lack of fat-soluble vitamins, particularly Vitamins D3 and K. See Vitamin D and Vitamin K.
2) VLCDs contain excessive amounts of sugars. This has two problems.
a) Unstable blood glucose & insulin levels. See Blood Glucose, Insulin & Diabetes. You don't notice peaks in blood glucose & insulin. However, a huge peak in blood insulin followed by a drop to normal causes severe hunger pangs. See How low-carbohydrate diets result in more weight loss than high-carbohydrate diets for people with Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes. Some people suffer from neurosis. See Hypoglycemia & Neurosis.
b) Sedentary people's bodies don't burn much carbohydrate. See Everyone is Different. At rest, on average a fasted person derives ~65% of energy from fats and ~35% from carbohydrate, although there are extremes of 93% fat-burning to 20% fat-burning. Even if someone who has full glycogen stores derives 100% of their energy at rest from carbohydrate, as they are only burning ~1kcal/minute at rest, their body is only burning 0.25g of carbohydrate/minute. So why feed someone carbohydrate when their body doesn't need it?
c) People with excess belly fat almost certainly have The Metabolic Syndrome. This causes various problems including high serum triglycerides (TGs). Eating carbohydrate that isn't burned and can't be stored raises TGs. I know about this as I have blood test results which showed TGs increasing with increasing carbohydrate intake. High TGs are bad news for your arteries. See Cholesterol And Coronary Heart Disease.
3) VLCDs don't contain enough protein. Protein supplies Amino Acids (AAs) to the body. These are used to preserve muscle mass. AAs can also be used to generate blood glucose in the liver by a process called Gluconeogenesis (GNG), which makes the consumption of carbohydrates redundant for most sedentary people.
4) VLCDs don't contain enough fibre/fiber. Constipation is common on VLCDs.
In my next Blog post, I will discuss a Rapid Fat Loss alternative to the VLCD that overcomes all of the above problems and is therefore much safer and more pleasant to be on. See The Protein-Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF)
For a discussion of VLCDs, see What do you think of Very Low Energy Diets?
Sunday, 11 January 2009
Linseed/Flaxseed & Flaxseed oil.
"Where flax is eaten...health abounds!" - Mahatma Gandhi.
These little seeds pack a quadruple-whammy of protein, omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), soluble fibre/fiber and vitamins, minerals & other anutrients.
What's in flaxseed and flaxseed oil?
Click https://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3163/2 and set serving size: to 100g, to see what nutrients there are in flaxseeds.
Click https://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fats-and-oils/7554/2 and set serving size: to 100g, to see what nutrients there are in flaxseed oil.
How do I eat flaxseed and flaxseed oil?
Flaxseed/Linseed have a fibrous coat which swells-up when wet and passes through our guts undigested. To get the benefit of the protein, omega-3 essential fatty acids, vitamins & minerals in flaxseeds, the seeds need to be powdered, crushed, cracked, chopped-up, sliced-up or ground-up using a coffee grinder, adjustable pepper grinder or most simply, a blender with a sharp blade.
The resulting powder can be mixed with liquids or sprinkled on foods, though extra fluid must be drunk, as the soluble fibre/fiber absorbs a lot of water.
Although whole flaxseed keeps fresh at room temperature, once powdered, it's advisable to keep the powder in a cool dark place to minimise oxidation of any exposed fat. Flaxseed oil must be kept refrigerated with the lid on the bottle at all times after opening and it must never be used for cooking.
The oil is O.K. drizzled over hot food, as long as the food is eaten shortly afterwards. Oxidised flaxseed oil tastes bitter and has lost its health benefits, so it should either be chucked, used to varnish something or soften hardened putty. Unoxidised flaxseed oil has a nutty flavour, or it may taste a bit like tea. Powdered flaxseed has virtually no flavour.
See Milled flaxseed stability information.
How much flaxseeds and flaxseed oil do I need to eat each day?
Men are much poorer converters of alpha-linolenic acid (the omega-3 fatty acid in flaxseed) into DHA than women.
See Eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic acids are the principal products of α-linolenic acid metabolism in young men,
Conversion of α-linolenic acid to eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in young women and
Extremely Limited Synthesis of Long Chain Polyunsaturates in Adults: Implications for Their Dietary Essentiality and Use as Supplements.
Therefore, men should eat ~50g/day of ground flaxseed and women should eat ~25g/day. The amount of flaxseed oil for men is ~20g/day and the amount for women is ~10g/day. Vegan men should also supplement with ~1000mg/day of vegan DHA.
Where can I buy flaxseeds and flaxseed oil?
Flaxseed/linseed come in different colours. The cheapest linseed are brown/bronze ones which are often sold as bird seed in pet shops, but they can also be found in small independent health food shops. There are also golden linseed, which is the type most often found in supermarkets. Linusit and Granovita are two well-known brands. Granovita organic flaxseed oil is a good brand and it comes in dark bottles to keep light out, as light causes photo-oxidation of omega-3 fats.
These little seeds pack a quadruple-whammy of protein, omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), soluble fibre/fiber and vitamins, minerals & other anutrients.
What's in flaxseed and flaxseed oil?
Click https://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3163/2 and set serving size: to 100g, to see what nutrients there are in flaxseeds.
Click https://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fats-and-oils/7554/2 and set serving size: to 100g, to see what nutrients there are in flaxseed oil.
How do I eat flaxseed and flaxseed oil?
Flaxseed/Linseed have a fibrous coat which swells-up when wet and passes through our guts undigested. To get the benefit of the protein, omega-3 essential fatty acids, vitamins & minerals in flaxseeds, the seeds need to be powdered, crushed, cracked, chopped-up, sliced-up or ground-up using a coffee grinder, adjustable pepper grinder or most simply, a blender with a sharp blade.
The resulting powder can be mixed with liquids or sprinkled on foods, though extra fluid must be drunk, as the soluble fibre/fiber absorbs a lot of water.
Although whole flaxseed keeps fresh at room temperature, once powdered, it's advisable to keep the powder in a cool dark place to minimise oxidation of any exposed fat. Flaxseed oil must be kept refrigerated with the lid on the bottle at all times after opening and it must never be used for cooking.
The oil is O.K. drizzled over hot food, as long as the food is eaten shortly afterwards. Oxidised flaxseed oil tastes bitter and has lost its health benefits, so it should either be chucked, used to varnish something or soften hardened putty. Unoxidised flaxseed oil has a nutty flavour, or it may taste a bit like tea. Powdered flaxseed has virtually no flavour.
See Milled flaxseed stability information.
How much flaxseeds and flaxseed oil do I need to eat each day?
Men are much poorer converters of alpha-linolenic acid (the omega-3 fatty acid in flaxseed) into DHA than women.
See Eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic acids are the principal products of α-linolenic acid metabolism in young men,
Conversion of α-linolenic acid to eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in young women and
Extremely Limited Synthesis of Long Chain Polyunsaturates in Adults: Implications for Their Dietary Essentiality and Use as Supplements.
Therefore, men should eat ~50g/day of ground flaxseed and women should eat ~25g/day. The amount of flaxseed oil for men is ~20g/day and the amount for women is ~10g/day. Vegan men should also supplement with ~1000mg/day of vegan DHA.
Where can I buy flaxseeds and flaxseed oil?
Flaxseed/linseed come in different colours. The cheapest linseed are brown/bronze ones which are often sold as bird seed in pet shops, but they can also be found in small independent health food shops. There are also golden linseed, which is the type most often found in supermarkets. Linusit and Granovita are two well-known brands. Granovita organic flaxseed oil is a good brand and it comes in dark bottles to keep light out, as light causes photo-oxidation of omega-3 fats.
Monday, 5 January 2009
I was just thinking......
On a messageboard in a galaxy far far away, someone suggested that as many as one in three people in the UK could have impaired carbohydrate metabolism. This set me thinking.
London is 51degrees North of the Equator, so the sun has to pass through ~45% more atmosphere to reach us, compared to the Equator.
According to Elina Hyppönen & Chris Power, (edited) "The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was highest during the winter and spring, when 25(OH)D concentrations less than 75nmol/L were found in 87.1% of participants, respectively; the proportion was 60.9%, respectively, during the summer and autumn."
Note that 75nmol/L was insufficient to give me normal Insulin Sensitivity. See Chiu, Chu, Go & Saad. However, greater than 160nmol/L was sufficient, but that was only obtained after I supplemented with 5,000iu/day of Vitamin D3 (25 x RDA).
A deficiency of omega-3 EFAs can cause Insulin Resistance (poor Insulin Sensitivity). See Ghafoorunissa, Ahamed Ibrahim, Laxmi Rajkumar & Vani Acharya, Storlien LH, Kraegen EW, Chisholm DJ, Ford GL, Bruce DG & Pascoe WS and Yam D, Bott-Kanner G, Friedman J, Genin I, Klainman E & Shinitzky M.The typical omega-6:omega-3 ratio in the British diet is ~15:1. This is partly due to the fact that animal produce from grain-fed animals contains a lot more omega-6 and a lot less omega-3 than it used to. See Is food less nutritious than it used to be? Andre Purvis investigates. In addition, people eat grains, nuts, seeds, oils & spreads high in omega-6 and don't eat much oily fish, powdered Flax-seeds (a.k.a. Linseeds) or Purslane (a plant that's relatively high in omega-3).
With all of these problems, I wonder what percentage of the UK population actually do have some degree of impaired carbohydrate metabolism? It might be more than one in three.
According to The eatwell plate, one third of our total Calories are supposed to come from bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods. Some of these foods rapidly raise blood glucose a lot. Impaired carbohydrate metabolism makes for roller-coaster blood glucose levels which encourages over-eating, leading to obesity (see my Blog post on Blood Glucose, Insulin & Diabetes.)
I think that that's enough thinking for now.
London is 51degrees North of the Equator, so the sun has to pass through ~45% more atmosphere to reach us, compared to the Equator.
According to Elina Hyppönen & Chris Power, (edited) "The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was highest during the winter and spring, when 25(OH)D concentrations less than 75nmol/L were found in 87.1% of participants, respectively; the proportion was 60.9%, respectively, during the summer and autumn."
Note that 75nmol/L was insufficient to give me normal Insulin Sensitivity. See Chiu, Chu, Go & Saad. However, greater than 160nmol/L was sufficient, but that was only obtained after I supplemented with 5,000iu/day of Vitamin D3 (25 x RDA).
A deficiency of omega-3 EFAs can cause Insulin Resistance (poor Insulin Sensitivity). See Ghafoorunissa, Ahamed Ibrahim, Laxmi Rajkumar & Vani Acharya, Storlien LH, Kraegen EW, Chisholm DJ, Ford GL, Bruce DG & Pascoe WS and Yam D, Bott-Kanner G, Friedman J, Genin I, Klainman E & Shinitzky M.The typical omega-6:omega-3 ratio in the British diet is ~15:1. This is partly due to the fact that animal produce from grain-fed animals contains a lot more omega-6 and a lot less omega-3 than it used to. See Is food less nutritious than it used to be? Andre Purvis investigates. In addition, people eat grains, nuts, seeds, oils & spreads high in omega-6 and don't eat much oily fish, powdered Flax-seeds (a.k.a. Linseeds) or Purslane (a plant that's relatively high in omega-3).
With all of these problems, I wonder what percentage of the UK population actually do have some degree of impaired carbohydrate metabolism? It might be more than one in three.
According to The eatwell plate, one third of our total Calories are supposed to come from bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods. Some of these foods rapidly raise blood glucose a lot. Impaired carbohydrate metabolism makes for roller-coaster blood glucose levels which encourages over-eating, leading to obesity (see my Blog post on Blood Glucose, Insulin & Diabetes.)
I think that that's enough thinking for now.
Wednesday, 31 December 2008
How to lose body-fat healthily.
Previous blog posts have been about Carbohydrates, Fats & Proteins. However, when you go shopping, you buy food. So this blog post is going to be about food. Updated!
1) If you're eating a high-carb diet, eat 6 small meals or 3 meals and 3 snacks per day to keep your blood glucose relatively stable. I used to believe that it also kept your metabolic rate high, but I now know this to be a myth. If you're the type of person who gets lowish blood glucose in the mornings (which may make you ravenously hungry and therefore highly likely to buy junk food when you're away from home), skipping breakfast is not advisable. If you're the type of person who isn't satisfied by small meals/snacks, a small number of large meals (Intermittent Fasting) is a better option.
2) Meals and snacks should contain proteins, fats and fibrous carbs.
3) Slow sugary/starchy carbs can be eaten in meals/snacks at breakfast and before/after workouts/exercise/intense activity. If/when you are sedentary, keep slow sugary/starchy carbs to a minimum. Keep fast sugary/starchy carbs to a minimum (except for the occasional treat or post-workout) as they can cause large fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels. The more intense exercise you do, the more slow sugary/starchy carbs you can eat.
4) Drink >1.5 litres of no-added-sugar watery drinks per day. If your urine is darker than straw, drink more. If you're weeing too often, drink less.
5) Balance your omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) by eating about 100g of omega-3 rich oily fish (sild, sardines, pilchards, mackerel, herring, salmon, trout, fresh tuna etc) per day or supplement with fish oil capsules such that you get at least 2g of EPA+DHA per day. Please note that tinned tuna contains virtually zero omega-3 fat.
If you're vegetarian or vegan, see Vegetarians & vegans, listen up!
6) Eat 2 to 3 portions of low-sugar fruits per day - preferably before meals/snacks. Minimise your consumption of high-sugar fruits.
Proteins are:- Meats, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, Quorn, seeds, nuts, legumes (peas, beans & lentils).
Fibrous carbs are:- All vegetables that grow above ground level, bulbs (onions, leeks, garlic etc) and "vegetable" fruits (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers/courgettes, aubergines, avocados, olives etc).
Slow sugary/starchy carbs are:- All-bran, no-added-sugar muesli, oats, sweet potatoes, lightly-boiled new potatoes eaten hot, cold or refrigerated, Basmati rice, non-overcooked legumes & root veggies, lumpy wholegrain rye breads, Burgen/Vogel's soya & linseed breads.
Fast sugary/starchy carbs are:- White wheat breads, wholemeal wheat breads, most breakfast cereals including Shredded Wheat, Weetabix, Cheerios, Grapenuts etc, sugar, sweets, chocolate, cakes, biscuits, cereal bars, sweetcorn, overcooked tubers e.g. jacket potatoes, overcooked root veggies, overcooked legumes e.g. baked beans.
High sugar fruits are:- Ripe & over-ripe bananas, grapes, pineapples, sweet apples, sweet pears, sultanas, raisins, currants and any dried fruits with added sugar.
Low sugar fruits are:- Berries, stone fruits, citrus, Granny Smith apples, Conference pears. Dried apple rings, apricots, pear halves, peach halves and prunes without added sugar are high in sugar but they release that sugar very slowly.
Fats are sats, monos and the EFAs mentioned above. Butter is high in sats and monos. Olive oil & spreads are high in monos. Sunflower/safflower/corn oils & spreads are very high in omega-6 EFAs - minimise your consumption of these. Don't fry or roast with high-EFA oils as they oxidise and convert into trans-fats too quickly. Meats contain sats, monos and some EFAs. Minimise your consumption of anything with the word "hydrogenated" in the ingredients list.
Some foods fall in-between categories like yellow bananas which are medium speed sugary/starchy carbs. Green bananas are slow carbs and black bananas are fast carbs.
Depending on your insulin sensitivity, speed of metabolism and exercise levels, you may get away with eating fast sugary/starchy carbs - you'll just have to "suck it and see".
If eating makes you feel drowsy followed by hunger, you probably have Insulin Resistance. See Insulin Resistance: Solutions to problems. for ways to reverse Insulin Resistance.
One final bijou tip-ette:- Avoid walking down "dodgy" supermarket aisles (confectionery, cereals, booze, fizzy drinks) as "What the eye don't see, the heart don't grieve over".
Happy New Year folks!
Cont'd on How to lose body-fat healthily, Part 2.
1) If you're eating a high-carb diet, eat 6 small meals or 3 meals and 3 snacks per day to keep your blood glucose relatively stable. I used to believe that it also kept your metabolic rate high, but I now know this to be a myth. If you're the type of person who gets lowish blood glucose in the mornings (which may make you ravenously hungry and therefore highly likely to buy junk food when you're away from home), skipping breakfast is not advisable. If you're the type of person who isn't satisfied by small meals/snacks, a small number of large meals (Intermittent Fasting) is a better option.
2) Meals and snacks should contain proteins, fats and fibrous carbs.
4) Drink >1.5 litres of no-added-sugar watery drinks per day. If your urine is darker than straw, drink more. If you're weeing too often, drink less.
5) Balance your omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) by eating about 100g of omega-3 rich oily fish (sild, sardines, pilchards, mackerel, herring, salmon, trout, fresh tuna etc) per day or supplement with fish oil capsules such that you get at least 2g of EPA+DHA per day. Please note that tinned tuna contains virtually zero omega-3 fat.
If you're vegetarian or vegan, see Vegetarians & vegans, listen up!
Proteins are:- Meats, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, Quorn, seeds, nuts, legumes (peas, beans & lentils).
Fast sugary/starchy carbs are:- White wheat breads, wholemeal wheat breads, most breakfast cereals including Shredded Wheat, Weetabix, Cheerios, Grapenuts etc, sugar, sweets, chocolate, cakes, biscuits, cereal bars, sweetcorn, overcooked tubers e.g. jacket potatoes, overcooked root veggies, overcooked legumes e.g. baked beans.
High sugar fruits are:- Ripe & over-ripe bananas, grapes, pineapples, sweet apples, sweet pears, sultanas, raisins, currants and any dried fruits with added sugar.
Low sugar fruits are:- Berries, stone fruits, citrus, Granny Smith apples, Conference pears. Dried apple rings, apricots, pear halves, peach halves and prunes without added sugar are high in sugar but they release that sugar very slowly.
Fats are sats, monos and the EFAs mentioned above. Butter is high in sats and monos. Olive oil & spreads are high in monos. Sunflower/safflower/corn oils & spreads are very high in omega-6 EFAs - minimise your consumption of these. Don't fry or roast with high-EFA oils as they oxidise and convert into trans-fats too quickly. Meats contain sats, monos and some EFAs. Minimise your consumption of anything with the word "hydrogenated" in the ingredients list.
Depending on your insulin sensitivity, speed of metabolism and exercise levels, you may get away with eating fast sugary/starchy carbs - you'll just have to "suck it and see".
If eating makes you feel drowsy followed by hunger, you probably have Insulin Resistance. See Insulin Resistance: Solutions to problems. for ways to reverse Insulin Resistance.
One final bijou tip-ette:- Avoid walking down "dodgy" supermarket aisles (confectionery, cereals, booze, fizzy drinks) as "What the eye don't see, the heart don't grieve over".
Happy New Year folks!
Cont'd on How to lose body-fat healthily, Part 2.
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