Summary of Nutrition Workshop 26th May 2015
- What cooking techniques are healthy?
Dry frying or 'poaching' is a good way of cooking without using oil.
'To poach foods, gently simmer ingredients in water or a flavorful liquid, such as broth, vinegar or wine, until they're cooked through and tender. The food retains its shape during cooking. For stove-top poaching, choose a covered pan that best fits the size and shape of the food so that you need a minimal amount of liquid.'
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/healthy-cooking/art-20049346?pg=1
Dry frying or 'poaching' is a good way of cooking without using oil.
'To poach foods, gently simmer ingredients in water or a flavorful liquid, such as broth, vinegar or wine, until they're cooked through and tender. The food retains its shape during cooking. For stove-top poaching, choose a covered pan that best fits the size and shape of the food so that you need a minimal amount of liquid.'
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/healthy-cooking/art-20049346?pg=1
- 'Is colon cleansing a good way to eliminate toxins from your body?'
'Proponents of colon cleansing believe that toxins from your gastrointestinal tract can cause a variety of health problems, such as arthritis, allergies and asthma. They believe that colon cleansing improves health by removing toxins, boosting your energy and enhancing your immune system. However, there's no evidence that colon cleansing produces these effects.
'Proponents of colon cleansing believe that toxins from your gastrointestinal tract can cause a variety of health problems, such as arthritis, allergies and asthma. They believe that colon cleansing improves health by removing toxins, boosting your energy and enhancing your immune system. However, there's no evidence that colon cleansing produces these effects.
And colon cleansing can sometimes be harmful. In fact, coffee enemas sometimes used in colon cleansing have been linked to several deaths. Colon cleansing can also cause less serious side effects, such as cramping, bloating, nausea and vomiting.
Other concerns with colon cleansing are that it can:
- Increase your risk of dehydration
- Lead to bowel perforations
- Increase the risk of infection
- Cause changes in your electrolytes, which can be dangerous if you have kidney or heart disease or other health problems'
- What are the benefits of turmeric?
' The activities of turmeric include antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant, antiseptic, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, radioprotective, and digestive activities. Phytochemical analysis of turmeric has revealed a large number of compounds, including curcumin, volatile oil, and curcuminoids, which have been found to have potent pharmacological properties.'
- Is it better to have raw or cooked food?
Some foods are better cooked and some foods are better raw.
- Should we eat food that is seasonal and local?
It seems to have advantages.
'While all of the factors affecting nutritional quality of fruits and vegetables – crop
variety, production method, post-harvest handling, storage, and processing and packaging
– apply equally to produce that is produced locally or on farms across the country, relying
on local sources for your produce needs has some distinct advantages. First, even when
the highest post-harvest handling standards are met, foods grown far away that spend
significant time on the road, and therefore have more time to loss nutrients before
reaching the marketplace. Second, farmers growing for a local (and especially a
direct) market favor taste, nutrition and diversity over shipability when choosing
varieties. Greater crop diversity from the farmer means greater nutritional diversity for
the eater. Third, in direct and local marketing strategies, produce is usually sold within 24
hours after harvest, at its peak freshness and ripeness, making consuming them a more
attractive prospect. Fourth, during this short time and distance, produce is likely handled
by fewer people, decreasing potential for damage, and typically not harvested with
industrial machinery. Minimizing transportation and processing can ensure maximum
freshness and flavor, and nutrient retention. This may seem like an overly simplistic
explanation of why local fruits and vegetables are more healthful than those from our
conventional long haul agricultural system. In the Northeast, diets based on foods
available locally can be nutritionally adequate year-round. Concerns over nutritional
adequacy usually arise because people are unaware of what is available.'
However it is worth noting that other factors may be more important in terms of following a healthy diet.
'Eating more seasonal food, however, is only one element of a sustainable diet and should not overshadow some of the potentially more difficult dietary behaviours to change that could have greater environmental and health benefits (e.g. reducing overconsumption or meat consumption)'
- What is the best ratio of omega 3 to omega 6?
'A lower ratio of omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids is more desirable in reducing the risk of many of the chronic diseases of high prevalence in Western societies, as well as in the developing countries, that are being exported to the rest of the world.'
- Which vegetarian foods have the lowest ratio of omega 6 to 3?
| Foods with Lowest Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratios | ||
|---|---|---|
| Food | n-6:n-3 ratio | ALA |
| flaxseeds | 1:4 | 1.6 g / tablespoon |
| flaxseed oil | 1:4 | 2.5 g / teaspoon |
| chia seeds | 1:3 | 5 g / oz |
| camelina oil | 1:2 | |
| canola oil | 2:1 | 1.3 g / tablespoon |
| English walnuts | 4:1 - 5:1 | 2.6 g / oz (14 halves) |
| walnut oil | 5:1 | 1.4 g / tablespoon |
| soybean oil | 7.5:1 | .9 g / tablespoon |
| black walnuts | 10:1 | .9 g / oz |
| English are the typical walnuts found in most grocery stores. | ||
'Sources of omegas:
Flaxseed oil 1 tbspn (14g):
- Total EFA's - 8.9g
- Omega 6 - 1.7g
- Omega 3 - 7.2g
- Ratio omega 6 : omega 3 - 1:4
Flaxseed ground 1 tbspn (7g):
- Total EFA's - 2.0g
- Omega 6 - 0.4g
- Omega 3 - 1.6g
- Ratio omega 6 : omega 3 - 1:4
Hulled hempseed 1 tbspn:
- Total EFA's - 3.9g
- Omega 6 - 3.0g
- Omega 3 - 0.9g
- Ratio omega 6 : omega 3 - 3:1
Rapeseed oil 1 tbspn (14g):
- Total EFA's - 3.9g
- Omega 6 - 2.6g
- Omega 3 - 1.3g
- Ratio omega 6 : omega 3 - 2:1
Walnuts 1oz (25g):
- Total EFA's - 13.2g
- Omega 6 - 10.7g
- Omega 3 - 2.5g
- Ratio omega 6 : omega 3 - 4:1
Flaxseed seeds and oil are a very good source of omega 3 fatty acids. Flaxseeds should be freshly crushed or milled in order to ensure nutrient absorption. The seed contains fibre and compounds called lignans. Lignans have an effect on hormone balance so the intake of flaxseed should be restricted during pregnancy. Hemp seeds have an ideal O6:O3 ratio and contain significant amounts gamma-linolenic acid and stearidonic acid. Rapeseed oil is also a good source of omega 3 and should be used cold-pressed because heating changes the oil’s properties.
Other foods can add to your ALA intake. Most of the fat in leafy green vegetables is ALA, for example broccoli has 0.13g per 100g and cabbage 0.11g per 100g. Occasionally you will find small levels of ALA or DHA in eggs, if the hens have been fed on flaxseeds or algae. Although organic milk has been heralded as having 60-70% higher levels of ALA than ordinary milk it is worth remembering that its overall level of polyunsaturated fats is low, even though it has a good O6:O3 ratio.
Essential fatty acids can generate free radicals once they are subjected to heat, light and oxygen. For cooking it is recommended to use oils which are high in mono-unsaturated fats, such as olive or groundnut. Flaxseed oil is also best purchased in dark bottles and stored away from heat or light.'
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