Omega Fatty
Acids: Getting down to the Grass Roots
Mary
Howard, RN
We will look
at why some meat is better than others for you and why some
fats are better than others for you. What are these Omega
fats, anyway? We will also look at why the fat ratio of meat
and eggs can be affected by the animal’s feed and living
conditions. We’ll also touch on the fact that, just because
an animal was raised on organic feed it still may not have
the nutrients needed to make their meat healthy.
To figure out
what Omega fatty acids are we will touch on just the basics.
Fats are compounds called Lipids. They are chemical
compounds of Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen. Fatty acids are
the refined fuel forms of fat and some cells, like the
heart, prefer them over glucose (sugar). Fatty acids are
named according to the number of carbons in their chain, for
example: Omega 3, Omega 6. Because there are fewer carbons
in an Omega 3’s chain has some to do with why they are
better for you. Your HDL (good Cholesterol) comes from Omega
3’s.
Now we need to
know this because there are certain Fatty Acids that are
considered "Essential" meaning that we need to get them from
the foods we eat. They are Linoleic, Linolenic and
Arachidonic. But actually Linoleic is the only one that our
body can not make so it is dependent on diet.
Fatty acids
have many important functions:
1. Linoleic
acid strengthens cell membranes and helps prevent skin
breakdown like eczema, and skin lesions.
2. Linoleic
acid combines with cholesterol to move it through the blood
and helps lower blood cholesterol levels.
3. All three
Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) help with the blood clotting
ability of the body.
4. Lenoleic
acid is a precursor of many hormone-like substances in the
body. One of these hormone-like substances is Prostaglandin.
Prostaglandin
was originally thought to originate in the prostrate gland,
hence its name, but it is actually present in all body
tissue. Omega 3 fatty acids are precursors of
prostaglandin. It is formed from Linoleic acid that is an
(EFA) and must come from dietary intake.
Prostaglandin
acts as a hormone to directly coordinate important biologic
functions. Some of the functions are:
-
They control the smooth muscles tone (Smooth muscles are the involuntary muscles like those around the heart and blood vessels).
-
They affect platelet aggregation (blood clotting).
-
They control inflammation reaction and immune response.
For this
reason they are very important in Cardiovascular Disease.
The longer the
chain of fatty acids the harder it is for the body to absorb
them. For this reason, Omega 3’s are much easier to absorb
than Omega 6‘s. They both compete in the body for the same
receptor sites so it is important to have a higher dietary
intake of Omega 3’s than Omega 6’s. We want Omega 3’s to get
to the receptor sites in larger numbers than Omega 6’s.
Omega 3 fatty
acids are not present in grains and very low amounts are
present in hay. In order to have Omega 3’s in the meat we
eat the animals need to be raised on pasture. As a
comparison:
In grain fed
beef Omega 3’s are 1 and Omega 6’s are 20.
In grass fed
beef Omega 3’s are 1 and Omega 6’s are 3.
Medical
experts have found that if Omega 3’s are 1 and the Omega 6’s
exceed 4 in the ratio that people are more likely to have
health problems.
By eating
pastured meats like beef, pork and chicken not only do we
lower our risk of heart problems, but just by this change
alone the average American can lower their calorie intake by
about 17,700 calories a year.
Chickens that
are raised in areas where they can range and eat vegetables,
grass, insects and a small amount of corn have a higher
amount of Omega 3’s in their eggs. For example:
In range fed
chicken eggs, Omega 3’s are 5 and Omega 6’s are 1.
In confinement
raised chickens, Omega 3’s are 1 and Omega 6’s are 20.
The eggs of
range fed chickens have a higher number of Omega 3’s than
Omega 6’s. This means they would be very good for you, and
could even help lower cholesterol levels in your body. Flax
seed is high in Omega 3's and is a great feed source to
boost Omega 3's in the meat and eggs of chickens.
Beware of
labeling. For example, an animal raised on "Organic Feed"
still may not have a healthy ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6
fatty acids present in the meat. This is because even
organically raised grains do not have healthy levels of
Omega 3 fatty acids present. Fish is high in Omega 3's but
so many of our water sources are contaminated with Mercury
that it may be safer to eat Pastured Meats.
It is no
wonder that down-home, country-living has a reputation of
making you healthy and strong. Eating the right foods,
raised in the right conditions, can make a big difference in
the way you feel and the way your body functions.
by Mary
Howard, RN
Blueberries,
Blackberries, Raspberries, and Strawberries are all very
healthy. Besides containing Vitamin C they also contain
Antioxidants. Antioxidants break down harmful molecules in
the body that lead to age related illnesses. Among 40 other
fruits and vegetables, blueberries are the highest in these
Antioxidant properties.
Some of the
major nutrients that berries contain, their function and the
Recomended Daily Allowance (RDA) standard for your
comparison are:
Protein:
The RDA standard is 50 to 60 mg. a day, berries contain
between 1 to 2 grams per cup as compared to a 3 oz. piece of
beef has 23. That is not too impressive, but the rest of the
nutrients are. Protein is the major building unit of the
body and is made up of Amino Acids. It is important for the
growth and maintenance of muscle and other body tissues.
Calcium:
The RDA is 800 mg a day. Berries contain 22 to 46 mg per cup
as compared to a piece of beef 10 mg. That is a pretty
impressive comparison, there is more Calcium in the berries
than in a 3oz. serving of beef. Calcium is important in bone
formation, tooth formation, blood clotting, nerve
transmission, muscle contraction and relaxation and enzyme
activation.
Iron:
The RDA is 10 to 15 mg per day. Berries contain 1.1 to 1.5
mg per cup as compared to a piece of beef is 2.9. Iron is an
important part of hemoglobin formation. Hemoglobin is the
part of your blood that transports oxygen. Iron is also very
important during growth and pregnancy.
Vitamin A:
The RDA is 800 to 1000 IU. Berries contain 90 to 290 IU per
cup as compared to a piece of beef only has 30. Vitamin A is
largely responsible for beta-carotene, and is the pigment in
fruit and vegetables. Beta-carotene is a precursor of
Vitamin A and supplies about 2/3 of the vitamin supply in
human nutrition. Vitamin A has a role in vision, the
adaptation to light and dark. It is important in skeletal
and soft tissue growth and in the reproductive function.
Vitamin B:
There are 8 B Vitamins but 3 of the major ones are Thiamin,
Riboflavin and Niacin. Thiamin RDA is 1.1 to 1.5 mg per day.
Berries contain 0.04 mg per cup. The same as a piece of
beef. Riboflavin RDA is 1.5 mg per day. Berries contain 0.06
to 0.11 mg per cup, compared to a piece of beef which
contains 0.18 mg. Niacin RDA is 15 to 19 mg per day. Berries
contain 0.6 to 1.1 mg per cup. Compared to piece of beef
which contains 3.6 mg.
B Vitamins are
important in Coenzyme and Enzyme function for energy
metabolism and tissue building. They help produce energy
from Glucose. They also control the absorption of proteins
by taking the nitrogen off certain amino acids.
Vitamin C:
The RDA is 40 mg a day. Berries contain 20 to 88 mg per cup.
Vitamin C is essential to build and maintain bones,
cartilage and connective tissue. It is also important in the
building and maintenance of blood vessels. It is easily
depleted from the body stores during fever and infection.
Berries are
delicious fresh or also freeze well. It is recommended not
to wash the berries before freezing if they have not been
treated with any kind of harmful sprays. Ask your grower
what they have been sprayed with.
Berries are
great in pancakes, deserts or just fresh. Adding berries to
your diet is a healthy, refreshing treat. They are a great
tasting snack and good for you all at the same time! If
there is any need to eat them "In Moderation" nature will
tell you so.
Much of my
resources for this article were taken from Essentials of
Nutrition and Diet Therapy by Sue Rodwell Williams, Ph.D.,
M.P.H., R.D.
Fifth edition,
Copyright 1990, Printed in St. Louis, MO. 63146, by the
Times Mirror/Mosby College Publishing.
------------------------------------------------
Mary Howard is
a Registered Nurse, mother of two, and enjoys natural
gardening. She hosts
HCS Designs
. You may
contact her:
editor@hcsdesigns.com