C6 Tuesday, December 10, 2013
FITNESS & WELL-BEING HEALTH BITES ........................................... Jeanette Wang jeanette.wang@scmp.com
Some foods not only taste better when paired, they have increased health benefits if eaten together, writes Bhavna Sakhrani
More heart-healthy fatty acids in organic milk Organic milk contains significantly higher concentrations of hearthealthy fatty acids than conventional milk, and can better help improve an individual’s fatty acid profile, according to a new study published in the journal PLoS ONE. Led by a Washington State University researcher, the study tested nearly 400 samples of organic and conventional milk over 18 months. Conventional milk had an average omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio of 5:8 to organic milk’s 2:3. The 2:3 ratio is thought to maximise heart health. Western diets typically have a ratio of about 10:1 to 15:1 – a higher ratio is said to raise the risk for a variety of problems, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, excessive inflammation, and autoimmune diseases.
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onventional wisdom champions a balanced diet, filled with whole, natural foods that contribute to our overall health and well-being. Your granny’s recipes, passed down through generations, have withstood the test of time because the ingredients naturally taste better together. According to Miles Price, a nutritionist at Life Clinic, “For generations people were eating locally produced foods that kept them healthy, so there is a genetic and even regional aspect to our dietary needs.” Health experts now suggest that we have always enjoyed certain foods in combination with each other because they are more nutritious together than when eaten on their own. There are fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K that are always best absorbed with a small amount of fat, and a number of foods that just work better in pairs. In fact, knowing that nutrients can actively work together to increase their bioavailability – that is, the amount of nutrients absorbed
In a Japanese diet, soya is balanced by the iodine in seaweed. and utilised by the body – can lead to claimed benefits such as faster metabolism, prevention of chronic disease and healthier cell growth. Nutrition experts call it food synergy. “There is a scientific basis behind these food pairings. These are time honoured traditions and they are passed down for a reason,” says Benita Perch, a naturopathic physician at Integrated Medicine Institute. We’ve highlighted some of the most powerful food duos that are found in kitchens around the world.
Rosemary can soak up red meat’s harmful free radicals.
Tomato and olive oil When researchers discovered that tomatoes are loaded with lycopene, they realised the real potential of this fruit that acts like a vegetable. Tomatoes are rich in a class of yellow to red pigments called carotenoids (alpha and beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene) as well as vitamins A, C, and K. Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer and skin cancer, and has been linked to a lower incidence of heart disease by up to 30 per cent. Lycopene is fat-soluble, which means combining it with a healthy, monounsaturated fat, such as olive or sunflower oil, helps boost absorption. A study at the University of Tasmania found that a diet high in olive oil and rich in lycopene may decrease the risk of coronary heart disease by improving the serum lipid profile compared with a high-carbohydrate, lowfat, lycopene-rich diet. Perch suggests a serving of olive oil in your pasta sauce, or an avocado with your tomatoes: “The Italians love their buffalo mozzarella and drizzle olive oil on their tomatoes.” Steak and rosemary Red meats aren’t considered a
health food, but who doesn’t love a grilled steak once in a while? The potential problem with grilled beef is the presence of cancer-causing heterocyclic amines (or HCAs), influenced by cooking time and pressure. Price explains: “If you look at protein in restaurants these days, it is being cooked at a very high temperature, and is usually very well done … it loses important enzymes and ends up becoming more of a dead product.” Research shows that marinating lowers the risk of some cancers by preventing the formation of toxins, and herbs such as rosemary with a high antioxidant content can literally soak up the meat’s harmful free radicals. A study conducted at Kansas State University found that when using rosemary extract in cooked beef, HCAs were reduced in levels ranging from 30 to 100 per cent. Rosemary contains phenolic compounds rosmarinic acid, carnosol and carnosic acid that block the HCAs before they can form before grilling, frying, broiling or barbecuing. The experts agree that a sprig of rosemary extract could not only help temper the cancer causing effects of HCAs, but could also add a punch of flavour to your next burger. Salmon, soya and seaweed These form a power trio. Seaweed is often overlooked as a leafy green, but it is nutrient dense in calcium as well as high amounts of vitamin B and A. Perch advocates a side of seaweed with your edamame. “Eat soya [foods] together with seaweed, because some people worry about excessive amounts of soya affecting thyroid levels … but if you eat it the way it’s meant to be eaten, as in local Japanese diets, they always have soya and seaweed together, and
Protein is usually very well done … it loses important enzymes MILES PRICE, NUTRITIONIST
seaweed has a lot of iodine that balances out the soya.” Even better is the effect of soya foods and seaweed when combined with vitamin D-rich salmon. The body needs vitamin D to absorb bone-strengthening calcium, both of which are essential to preventing diseases such as osteoporosis. Turmeric and black pepper Widely cultivated in India, turmeric offers health benefits as a powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antibacterial spice. The potent anti-cancer component of turmeric is curcumin, a chemical compound that has been used to treat inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis as well as heart
conditions, excessive cholesterol and obesity. It has made headlines for its potent anti-cancerous properties, and is best used with another Indian favourite, black pepper. On its own, curcumin’s bioavailability levels are low because it is metabolised before it gets absorbed. But piperline, the key active ingredient in black pepper, has been shown to increase the bioavailability of curcumin by over 1,000 per cent because it inhibits digestive enzymes. It may be prudent to have a spicy Indian curry regularly as this power couple has been touted for its effect on the prevention of certain cancers. A recent study by the University of Michigan shows that a combination of turmeric and piperline can significantly limit the growth of stem cells for breast cancer, and can prevent mammosphere formation. Corn tortillas and lime Taking a cue from the ancient Aztec diet, corn tortillas were traditionally made by soaking corn kernels in a lime solution to remove the skin, and then grinding them into a corn dough. The practice, known as nixtamalisation, refers to an alkali process that increases the nutritional value of the grain. Perch says that there are missing amino acids you can’t get from corn alone. “Maize cooked with lime provides niacin; it’s one of the amino acids that would normally not be able to be produced,” he says. “If you notice with South American food, they traditionally eat a lot of corn, and they always combine it with lime.” life@scmp.com
Further doubt over benefits of vitamin D supplementation Studies have long linked vitamin D supplementation with prevention of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s and even death, but new research by The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology casts doubt on this. The researchers analysed 290 prospective observation studies and 172 randomised trials that examined the effects of the vitamin on non-bone health. The benefits of high vitamin D concentrations from observational studies were not confirmed in randomised trials. This discrepancy suggests that low vitamin D levels are not a cause but a consequence of ill health.
A healthier diet for just US$1.50 more a day It costs about US$1.50 more per day to eat healthier, according to new research from the Harvard School of Public Health. Published in BMJ Open, researchers analysed 27 existing studies from 10 high-income countries that included price data for individual foods. The researchers found that healthier diet patterns cost significantly more than unhealthy diets, such as those rich in processed foods, meats, and refined grains. A healthy diet would increase food costs for one by about US$550 a year. Researchers note that this price difference is very small in comparison to the costs of diet-related chronic diseases.
WE RUN HK ................................................ Rachel Jacqueline life@scmp.com The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, which started in 1997 with only 1,000 runners, has grown into a running festival for the city, with 73,000 racers expected to take part next year. To celebrate the city’s passion for the sport, we are featuring one inspirational local runner each week until the race on February 16. If it hadn’t been for his sport, Chan Ka-ho might have become a gangster, says Hong Kong’s top middle distance runner. Running also set him on the path of his passion – teaching.
Chan, 29, splits his time between running and teaching at the Hong Kong College of Technology, coaching the next generation of athletes. He holds the Hong Kong record for the fastest 3,000 metres (eight minutes, 50 seconds) and is returning to the Hong Kong Marathon’s 10 kilometre race next year looking for a win. I run every day, from Monday to Sunday. I coach young runners and I will always make sure I train myself before class begins. Running is like breathing to me. I have a motto: “If I don’t run a day, I don’t have rice that day.” When I don’t run, I have to eat other food instead of rice.
jostling for first place and finally I ran ahead of him in the final metres. It was thrilling.
My day is not complete without my daily run from my home in Tai Po to the Pak Shek Kok Promenade, where I can view the Tolo Harbour and Ma On Shan. I find running along the promenade relaxes me.
I run for the sense of satisfaction I get after a long race. At first I ran to represent my school, then my club and finally to represent Hong Kong. I really hope I can continue to represent Hong Kong in other races.
My earliest memory of running was as a 14-year-old. I loved to play soccer, but I started running and found myself winning at school competitions. After that, I had such a sense of pride that I continued running. My best running experience was when I beat Japanese [runner] Motoharu Fukunaga by less than a second for first place in the half-marathon event in 2008. In the last 100 metres we were
I am running the Hong Kong Marathon next year as I think it is a must for every Hong Kong runner. Also, I want the chance to step up onto the champion’s rostrum again, while I’m still young, and able to win. Hong Kong’s fastest 3,000 metre runner, Chan Ka-ho. Photo: Nora Tam
Achieving my goal will confirm my ability to myself. Last year
I was working full time while setting up a running club, which didn’t allow me to train or rest as much and I didn’t perform at my best. But if I don’t win, I won’t be too upset. Being able to run faster now than I could last year is an affirmation to myself. If I didn’t run, I would probably have become a gangster – my friends in high school were some bad guys. I would have been a normal person, struggling for my goal. But because of running, I have made good friends, gained a degree, and have a wonderful girlfriend. Now it’s my goal to help youngsters who cannot find their goals. This is why I am a teacher now.