All you need to know
TUNE UP YOUR
OMEGA BALANCE
Omegabalancehealth.com
Omegabalancehealth.com
The purpose of this book is to help you arrange your diet in such a way as to balance your Omega-3 and Omega-6 consumption without taking any bio-active fish oil supplements. Yet, if you really find it too difficult to change your traditional diet, choose only the HIGH QUALITY fish oil supplements.
We have amazing little “workers” in our organism, the so-called eicosanoids , which perform many different functions. Physiologists refer to them as “mediators”: these are substances transmitting impulses from nerve terminals to organs and from one neuron to another. Eicosanoids are very active: they transmit signals to genes from the cell surface; they control tractions of the smooth muscles all around the body, for example, in blood vessels, in bronchi and in female organs; they take part in synthesis of various substances which are constantly forming inside the cells and which we need for our good health condition; they participate in bony tissue metabolism; they influence function of many systems in the organism, including the blood circulation, immune and peripheral nervous systems; they are responsible for receptivity of certain receptors, etc. When the balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 in the organism is optimal, eiconasoids are formed in sufficient amounts, but if the balance is disrupted, this may result in an illness. It is noteworthy that the quantitative ratio of the two essential polyunsaturated fatty acids – Omega-3 and Omega-6 – in our daily diet is of uttermost importance for our health condition, as you have probably heard more than once before. Both we can only consume with food as our body cannot generate them by itself. To prevent chronic deceases, one should consume less Omega-6. The best proportion is 3 parts of Omega-6 to 1 part of Omega-3. Yet, it is rather difficult to obtain such balance in our modern life, unless we really focus on our diet. For example, the consumption of Omega-6 with the majority of Americans is 14 to 25 times greater than that of Omega-3. Such overbalance of Omega-6 in the diet affects utilization of Omega-3 by the organism. !!!!For reference: According to statistics, only 5% of the Americans consume Omega 3 and Omega 6 in the right proportion. And 95% of them have a higher risk of heart diseases.
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Below are just a few of many advantages of having the right balance of Omega 3 in the organism:
Each new medical study extends the list of advantages of the essential fatty acids of Omega-3 group. Here are a few to mention: - They can reduce triglycerides in blood thus decreasing the risk of type II diabetes; - The Menopause magazine (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3195360/) claims that intake of fish oil can notably reduce the depression symptoms characteristic for the menopausal period within 8 weeks. - Another research (Journal of the American College of Cardiology http://content.onlinejacc. org/article.aspx?articleid=1139945) with 40,000 participants proved that eating fatty fish twice a week not only greatly reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, but also improves the prospects of the postinfarction condition. It was further on determined that this effect reaches its maximum with the elderly group of participants (65 +). -Those who include fatty fish in their diet on a regular basis are at a lower risk of getting the Alzheimer's disease, researchers reported recently at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. While lower contents of Omega-3 in blood correlate to a long list of chronic conditions.
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What is the optimal intake of Omega-3?
The need is individual. Medical experts’ recommendations vary in a wide range (from 500 mg to 1,500 mg and more of Omega-3 per day), depending on the age, sex, health condition and diet of any specific person. Of the biggest value due to their bioaccessibility are two long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids of Omega-3 group: EPA and DHA (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids), these are the ones present in fish oil. So, you may either rely upon the fish oil bio-supplements or adjust your menu in such a way as to reduce consumption of Omega 6 and qualitatively increase intake of Omega 3. But let’s take it all step by step: - First, we will review the sources of Omega 3 for those who eat food of animal origin and for vegetarians. - Second, we will consider the sources of Omega 6. - Third, we will review sample menus for optimal balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6.
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OMEGA 3 1. FISH. If you eat 100 grams of fatty fish on a regular basis, 2-3 times a week, your essential need for Omega-3 is most likely covered. This is a traditional recommendation of the international health organizations. For certain categories of people (for example, those having higher levels of triglycerides or suffering from rheumatoid arthritis), doctors prescribe a higher daily dosage: 2 to 4 grams of fatty acids. Since higher levels of triglycerides are characteristic of people with diabetes, the American Association of Endocrinologists encourages them to consume fish rich in Omega -3 in 100 grams portions three times a week.
If you don’t have such concerns, medical experts say that including 100 g servings of fatty fish in your diet twice a week is sufficient to maintain health. Trout, sardines, salmon, herring, tuna, scomber are considered the best sources of essential fatty acids of Omega-3 type. Do pay attention to the origin and species of fish. Do your best to eliminate the risk of toxins contamination!
For the reasons described above, it also makes sense to include fatty fish in the diet for people with heart and blood vessels diseases. The "working dose" here is approximately 1 gram of combined EPA and DHA fatty acids per day, which is equivalent to a 100 g serving of salmon. An important warning for those who regularly take aspirin. It should be noted that fish oil has the ability to "dilute" blood. At high doses (especially if you take fish oil in capsules), such combination with aspirin may enhance the dilution effect and bring undesirable consequences.
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Some fish contains very high levels of Omega-3, while others contain a very small amount of it insufficient to make any positive effect on your health, while a third fish contains not only a high level of Omega-3 fatty acids, but also toxic mercury. It is therefore important to know which fish to eat to maximize the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids for your health
Eat more of sea fish. It typically contains more of Omega-3 fatty acids than freshwater
fish. Sea fish lives in deep cold water which stimulates the synthesis of Omega-3 fatty acids in its body. One of the sea fish species particularly rich in Omega-3 is scomber of the Perciformes family; fresh scomber can only be found in coastal areas. In addition to a high level of Omega-3 fatty acids, scomber contains a lot of calcium. Although sea fish is usually preferred, an exception here is salmon, a fish which can migrate from salt to fresh water. Salmon is very rich in Omega-3. Trout is a species of salmon which is also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, it is found in freshwater lakes and rivers.
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hoose fish caught in the wild rather than farmed fish. Although farmed fish contains more fat, the amount of the beneficial Omega-3 is much less in it. According to studies conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture which compared nutrients in wild and farmed salmon, the level of protein is 20% higher and the level of fat is 20% lower in wild salmon than those in farmed salmon. The amount of useful Omega-3, however, is significantly higher in wild salmon.
Fish gets Omega 3 from algae feeding it in the sea, while farmed fish is fed with feed
concentrates hardly containing any Omega 3 fatty acids. It is also important to add that most of Omega 3 fatty acids are destroyed when fish is fried, hence fish is most healthy when it is raw or light-salted (salted fish is not recommended for people with hypertension, heart and renal inefficiency).
The chance for getting better quality fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids is higher when you get it from suppliers following environmentally friendly practices.
Avoid eating fish with high contents of mercury. Toxic effects of mercury greatly outbalance
the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids. From the viewpoint of the risk of accumulating mercury in the body, a safe consumption level is 330 grams of fish and seafood per week on average, provided that they belong to "low-mercury" fish. This includes: shrimp, "light" canned tuna, salmon, pollock.
North Pacific salmon is recognized as one of the "lowest-mercury" fish species. If you want to cook some sea long-livers (e.g., tuna or Atlantic halibut), then choose younger
(smaller) fish. The longer fish lives, the more contaminants and heavy metals it accumulates over time.
The dangerous list of "high-mercury" fish includes the following species: Đşing mackerel (a type of
scomber), Đ°lbacore and white tuna, swordfish, tilefish and shark.
Remember that salmon and whitefish are considered the safest fish in terms of parasites. Yet, any fish should be well roasted, cooked or baked in the oven.
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2. Seafood. Typical seafood is: clams, squids, shrimps, crabs, octopuses, lobsters, crayfish. Some seafoods are grown in special ponds with the use of stimulants, colorants and antibiotics. For example, the popular royal shrimps are mostly farmed in Vietnam and China. Regular consumption of such seafood can be dangerous because the harmful substances can accumulate in the body. As for shellfish and other seafood, those may contain dangerous heavy metals. Shrimps, squids and mussels sometimes actually turn into a depot of arsenic which can cause severe poisoning. Another serious problem is the presence of microscopic parasites in fish and seafood. If the products are not treated properly, the parasites can penetrate into the human body and cause serious illness. To avoid becoming a victim of otherwise useful and tasty seafood, you only need to observe some simple rules. First, it’s all about being fresh! Do not forget that in Japan (just as in other countries) seafood, including fish, is cooked almost immediately after it is caught. For example, it’s a good practice anywhere in the world to serve only freshly caught oysters. And this rule equally applies to any kind of places, either fancy restaurants or cheap snack bars. In our country, we mostly get deep-frozen seafood. This means that we should not even think of eating it raw - even if we really want to. It is essential that these products are properly heat-treated, only then we can be sure that all harmful elements are destroyed.
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Shrimps can absorb harmful radioactive substances. In order to avoid such shrimps, ask about the area in which they were caught. Whether you benefit or get harm depends entirely on the water basin in which they lived before getting into the supermarket. Also, pay attention to the appearance of the shrimps: if they have black heads, they have most likely been kept unfrozen for a long time and are rotten. Mussels are safe when caught in the cold season. It is believed that one may eat mussels only in the months which have the letter "R" - that is, from September till April. Squids which are often referred to as the "balm for the heart" may contain mercury. Therefore, it is important to cook them properly. Squids should be defrosted in cold water. It will take "the main hit" - most of the mercury, if any, will remain in the water. Squids are cooked dipped in boiling water for 3-5 minutes, not more, then left in the water until they cool down.
Take care giving seafood to children. Children up to 3 years must not eat seafood at all, and even children of older age should better avoid such delicacies. Fish is a much more useful product for children, and a much safer one.
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Contents of Omega-3 and Omega-6
fatty acids in fish and seafood
Source: http://nutritiondata.self.com/
Fish (100 g serving)
Contents of Omega-3 fatty acids (g)
Contents of Omega-6 fatty acids (g)
Omega-3 : Omega-6
Black and red caviar
6,789
0,081
1 : 0,01
Atlantic scomber, fresh
2,670
0,219
1 : 0,08
Atlantic salmon, sea
2,586
0,172
1 : 0,06
Atlantic salmon, farmed
2,506
0,982
1 : 0,39
Pacific herring, fresh
2,418
0,192
1 : 0,07
Fresh tuna
0,243 — 1,664
0,010 -0,068
1 : 0,006 – 1 : 0,40
Pacific scomber, fresh
1,614
0,116
1 : 0,07
Atlantic sardines
1,480
0,110
1 : 0,07
Canned salmon
1,323
0,152
1 : 0,11
Fresh trout
1,068
0,224
1 : 0,21
Swordfish
0,825
0,030
1 : 0,03
Oysters
0,740
0,032
1 : 0,04
Fresh halibut
0,669
0,038
1 : 0,05
Conger eel, fresh
0,653
0,196
1 : 0,30
Shrimps
0,601
0,028
1 : 0,05
Flatfish
0,563
0,008
1 : 0,2
Seashell
0,396
0,032
1 : 0,08
Sea scallop
0,396
0,004
1 : 0,01
Pacific codfish
0,221
0,008
1 : 0,04
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3. Plant sources. We have a lot of the so-called "pro-parent" fatty acid of Omega-3 type around us. They differ in their structure from their much more bio-active "offsprings" - EPA and DHA. The most common precursor of such acids is the alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) contained in many food products, including those of plant origin.
There are several explanations to this. First, it has been proved that most of ALA in our diet is spent not on conversion into valuable EPA and DHA fatty acids, but on covering energy spending of our body. Second, it is no secret that even with vegans who consume ALA sources in large amounts its transformation into active form is often insignificant. This is largely due to a major shift of Omega-3: One of the many advantages of Omega-3 Omega- 6 ratio out of favor of Omega-3 in sources of vegetable origin (as a natural the vegan diet. The balance between the two component of the vegan diet) is the minimal polyunsaturated fatty acids determines the risk of getting toxins contained in the seafood share of conversion. When it exceeds the (dioxins, mercury and other heavy metals, perfect ratio (Omega 3: Omega 6 = 1: 3-4) PCBs, etc.) by 5-8 times, the consumption of even a very large amount of ALA sources cannot save the Yet, in order to reveal the valuable properties situation. of Omega-3, ALA must be transformed into its bio-active forms - EPA and DHA. The conclusion is the following. In today's With most of people, their organism world, with its fast-foods and predominance can produce enough enzymes for such of semi-finished products, it is very difficult to transformation. So it could all be simple get the required amount of the essential DHA and easy, if it were not for one sad fact. and EPA if you exclude oily fish from the diet. Unfortunately, only a very small part of ALA can be transformed to its active form: 8-20% into EPA and 4-9% into DHA. Moreover, the lower limit of the given range refers to the potential capacity of the male population to transform ALA. So far there is no consensus among medical experts about the efficiency (or rather inefficiency) of ALA in the vegan diet, but it is no secret that the lack of EPA and DHA fatty acids with vegans is not at all uncommon.
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The following products are considered the best sources of ALA: - Flax seeds: they have a record content of ALA. Two tablespoons of GROUND flax seeds or one tablespoon of flaxseed oil can cover 57% of the daily need for ALA. - Green leaf vegetables: kale, Brussels sprouts, spinach, broccoli and lettuce are the leaders among vegetables in their ALA content. One glass of such greens contains about 55% of the recommended daily amount. And they are second to none in their Omega-3 content per calorie. - Walnut: a quarter of a cup contains 14% of the daily need for ALA. But take care not to exceed this dose as the nuts have very high calorie value. - Rape seed oil is not as rich in Omega-3 as flax seed oil. One tablespoon contains 11% of the daily need for ALA. Also, as we know, it is healthier to consume not extracted oils (which are also unstable), but whole oils containing the fats. - Soy beans and tofu: about 7% of the daily dose of ALA is contained in 1 cup of soy beans, in half a glass of tofu or in 1 tablespoon of soybean oil. - Chia seeds: 1 teaspoon (5 grams) contains 877 mg of Omega-3, while this product is one of the best for health in terms of Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio (1 : 0.38).
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