Nutrition

Absorption: If you can’t absorb it – it’s not worth taking

With any nutritional program, the critical issue is not how much you ingest but how much your body absorbs. As people get older their digestive functions begin to decline. In fact, between the ages of 40 and 60 the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from their food-bound (or supplement-bound) form can decline by as much as 70-90%. This inability to absorb may be one of the causes of age-related degeneration and disease.

“Whatever the nutritional potential of a food, its contribution is nonexistent if it does not pass the test of absorption. Those nutrients that have not been transferred through the intestinal mucosal cell to enter the circulation have, for all nutritional intent and purpose, never been eaten.”

R.L. Pike and M.L. Brown, Nutrition: An Integrated Approach

Various enzymes are required to digest foods, but the body’s supply of these enzymes tends to diminish with age. Whole raw foods naturally contain their own digestive enzymes, but these are destroyed by cooking. Supplementing with digestive enzymes is helpful to ensure adequate enzyme levels in the body. Amylase for carbohydrate digestion, protease for protein digestion, lipase for fat digestion, and cellulase for fibre breakdown. Animal enzymes such as pancreatin and pepsin help in the digestion of food once it has reached the lower stomach and the intestinal tract.

Your stomach acid is responsible for the activation of specific enzymes when nutrients travel into the small intestine and colon. However, lower levels of stomach acid as you age contribute to lower levels of vital nutrients in the body. Studies show that 25-35% of adults aged 60 to 80 suffer from an acute lack of digestive acid (“atrophic gastritis”).

Your naturopathic physician can help to determine the enzyme supplementation and dietary adjustments you require to maintain optimal absorption.

Tips to aid absorption and maintain good digestion

• A small amount of apple cider vinegar, taken just prior to a meal, will stimulate production of digestive juices.
  
  
• Limit fluids during meals to improve digestion. Adding fluid to the stomach while eating dilutes the concentration of digestive enzymes and impairs digestion. Especially avoid cold or iced drinks when eating, although red wine has been shown to improve digestion.
  
  
• Eat whole healthy foods. Our bodies crave fresh fruits, vegetables and grains. These foods provide energy in the form of vitamins, minerals and natural enzymes. Excessive intake of "dead" (highly processed) foods forces our body to use its own enzymes and energy in an attempt to separate out the limited nutrients that might be available.
  
  
• Take supplements with food when possible. The process of eating stimulates digestive enzymes that aid in nutrient absorption.
  
  
• Use high-quality supplements. Professional supplement products have been specially designed to enhance absorption to the highest possible level. Retail products usually do not have this level of quality. (See Why Professional Supplements?)
  
  
• Don’t eat too late in the evening. Not eating for 3 hours prior to bedtime is a good rule of thumb. Food eaten too close to going to sleep will not digest properly. If you start to feel a little hungry close to bedtime, drink a little water. When it is hungry, your body will start to burn fat for fuel if it is not fed. This has the added benefit of promoting weight loss.
  
  
• Manage chronic stress. Stress restricts the flow of blood in the body by tightening muscles, which restricts the free flow of fluids. Meditation, yoga, tai chi or even daily walks in nature can all help reduce stress significantly.
  
  
• Exercise daily. Exercise helps the body to get rid of the daily accumulation of harmful toxins. Numerous studies have shown that even a brisk walk of 20 minutes can be preventive in the development of chronic diseases and disease conditions
  
  
• Think positively. In Chinese medicine, excessive thoughts of anger, worry, resentment, grief and fear all have significant effects on the free flow of "energy" in our body.

Oils & Fats :The Importance of Dietary Fats

Until recently, the U.S. Government’s official position on dietary fats was that there was no relationship between fat intake and arterial disease. The FDA even made it illegal to imply that fats and oils played a role in heart and vascular disease. According to the FDA, making any statement about fat consumption and heart attack risk constituted "misbranding", a serious criminal offense.

However, on May 27, 2003, in response to an overwhelming body of evidence, the White House urged government health agencies to encourage Americans to increase their consumption of foods containing a certain type of dietary fat – omega-3 fatty acids – and decrease their intake of another type – trans fatty acids. The release issued by the Executive Office of The President read in part:

"Health researchers have found that Americans can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease with a modest change in their diets. The government should make this life-saving information as widely available as possible."

Health authorities in the U.S. had finally discovered that not all fats are created equal. Some fats are of critical importance to good health, while the regular consumption of others will lead to severe health problems.

Proper nutrition for the human body is more than just the consumption of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Fats are macronutrients that play an important role in controlling cholesterol, regulating hormones and balancing the immune system. Certain fats are absolutely essential for life, and subjecting oneself to a low-fat or no-fat diet can be detrimental to your health.

In one form or another, fats are found in all our foods. All living organisms contain fat – animals, plants, humans, even tiny organisms such as bacteria. Fat is usually regarded as a nutrient that should be avoided at all costs, but this is not the case. A healthy diet must include an adequate amount of fat – but it must be the right kind of fat.

What different kinds of fats are there?

The term “lipid” is often used when referring to fats. This is a general term that refers to several fat-like compounds in the body. The most abundant and important of the lipids are triglycerides. Triglycerides are comprised of individual fat molecules called “fatty acids”, which come in three general categories – saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated.

Saturated Fats: Saturated fatty acids are found in animal products, like meat, and tropical oils. They are highly stable and do not normally go rancid, even when heated for cooking purposes, and are solid or semisolid at room temperature. Your body can make saturated fatty acids from carbohydrates.

Monounsaturated Fats: Your body makes monounsaturated fatty acids from saturated fatty acids, and uses them in a number of ways. Monounsaturated fats tend to be liquid at room temperature. Like saturated fats, they are relatively stable. They do not go rancid easily and can be used in cooking. The most common monounsaturated fatty acid is oleic acid (omega-9), the main component of olive oil as well as the oils from almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts and avocados.

Polyunsaturated Fats: The two polyunsaturated fatty acids found most frequently in our foods are omega-6 and omega-3. Your body cannot make these fatty acids and hence they are called “essential”. We must obtain our essential fatty acids, or EFAs, from the foods we eat. They are liquid, even when refrigerated. They go rancid very easily, particularly omega-3, and must be treated with care. Polyunsaturated oils should never be heated or used in cooking.

All oils and animal fats consist of a mixture of these three fatty acids, and are usually referred to by the type that predominates. Olive oil, for example, is referred to as “monounsaturated” because it is composed of about 80% monounsaturated omega-9. In fact, it has the highest level of monounsaturated fatty acids of all the dietary fats and oils.

In general, there are good and bad fats in each category, and you need to know what you are getting. For instance, while you may have heard that saturated fats are “bad” and “artery clogging”, the saturated fats in coconut oil have supported healthy populations around the world for centuries. Animal fats such as butter and lard contain about 40-60% saturated fat and have been part of traditional healthy diets for generations. Margarine, on the other hand, is a different story altogether.

Hydrogenated (Trans) Fats: Margarine belongs to a fourth category of fat – hydrogenated or trans fat – a man-made that is produced through a manufacturing process. This process changes the natural form of the fat and destroys its nutrients, turning them into toxins instead. Many food manufacturers use hydrogenated fats because of their thick texture, good mouthfeel, long shelf life, and because they’re cheap to produce. These fats are common in mass-processed foods such as cookies, crackers, cakes, donuts, breads, salad dressings and many other products.

Foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, vegetable shortening, or margarine all contain damaging amounts of trans fats. Many convenience foods contain trans fats, including healthy sounding items such as granola bars and products that may be labeled “reduced fat”. Read product labels – if the sum of the saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats is less than the amount for total fats, then the difference is probably trans fat.

Hydrogenated fats are dangerous to health and should be completely avoided. They double the risk of heart attack and Alzheimer’s disease, significantly increase diabetes risk, and inhibit the body’s ability to utilize essential fatty acids. Other research shows that they interfere with vision in children, cerebral cortex function and liver detoxification, and correlate with increased prostate and breast cancers. Reporting on information collected in the 1997 Harvard Nurses Study, Dr. David Hunter observed that “processed (hydrogenated) fats were shown to be the most significant culprit in generating heart disease, cancer and diabetes.” And a 2002 report from the National Academy of Sciences concluded that “The only safe intake of trans fats is zero”.

Another culprit in raising your risk of disease is polyunsaturated vegetable oil. Vegetable oils such as corn, safflower, sunflower, and soybean are composed almost entirely of one kind of fat – called omega-6 – and the overuse of these oils in our diet has contributed to driving the balance of fats in our bodies completely out of whack, resulting in a variety of critical health problems. In addition, heating these oils through cooking, frying, or baking causes them to oxide and break down into harmful free radicals and toxins. Use of these oils for cooking has been promoted by the food industry for many years, and their use is now widespread in the restaurant and fast food industries.

Essential Fatty Acids

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are a type of polyunsaturated fat. EFAs come in two categories – omega-3 and omega-6 – and are termed “essential” nutrients because, like vitamins, the body cannot manufacture them and must get them through food or supplements. Omega-9 is another necessary fatty acid, but not termed “essential” because the body can manufacture a modest amount, provided it has sufficient omega-3 and omega-6. Omega-9 is the predominant monounsaturated fat in olive oil.

Every cell in the body has a fat component made up of essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids support the cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, and nervous systems. The human body needs them to manufacture and repair cell membranes. EFAs also produce derivatives that regulate functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, blood clotting, fertility, conception, and aid in immune function.

Omega-3s are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be particularly important for cognitive and behavioral function. In fact, infants who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids from their mothers during pregnancy are at risk for developing vision and nerve problems. Researchers are also linking inadequate intake of omega-3s in pregnant women to premature birth and low birth weight, and to hyperactivity and ADD in children.

There are three major categories of omega-3 fatty acids:

• alpha-linolenic acid (ALA),
• eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and
• docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
  

ALA is the parent fatty acid in the omega 3 fatty acid family, and is found in high concentrations in certain plant oils such as flaxseed and walnut oil. Once eaten, the body converts ALA into EPA and DHA – the two forms that it uses most extensively. EPA and DHA in their pure form are found in fish, fish oils and other marine organisms.

While research has shown that both omega-3 and omega-6 are vitally important for good health, the typical North American diet has a dangerous excess of omega-6s. This omega-3 deficiency has led to an epidemic of inflammatory diseases, cancer, stroke, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, and hormone imbalances.

Too Much Omega-6 – Too Little Omega-3

It is estimated that our species has lived on a balanced EFA diet for the past 400,000 years – rich in natural omega-3 food sources such as free-range game, fish, marine mammals, and nuts. It has only been within the last 100 years that our dietary fatty acid composition has changed for the worse. In the early 20th century food manufacturers began pouring vegetable oils – a source of omega-6 fatty acids – into the food chain. Many popular polyunsaturated vegetable oils – such as corn, safflower, sunflower, and soybean – are high in omega-6s but completely lacking in omega-3s.

At the same time there was a decline in wild fish and game consumption, and a sharp increase in the use of grains in livestock feed. These events conspired to drastically alter the balance between omega-6s and omega-3s in the Western diet.

While an ideal ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s is near 2:1, the typical modern diet has resulted in a ratio commonly between 10:1 and 25:1. As a result, many people have become omega-3 deficient and a variety of health problems have mushroomed.

EFA deficiencies and omega-6/omega-3 imbalances have been linked to serious health conditions such as heart attacks, cancer, insulin resistance, asthma, lupus, schizophrenia, postpartum depression, accelerated aging, stroke, obesity, diabetes, arthritis, and ADHD, among others. Inflammation – found to be a key component in many chronic diseases – has been strongly linked to omega-3 deficiencies.

The human brain is highly dependent on the omega-3s EPA and DHA. Low levels of these fatty acids have been linked to seasonal mood changes, depression, schizophrenia, memory loss, and a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's. Research has found that people who experience depression have relatively low levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood, and that the balance of omega-3 fatty acids in their brain becomes skewed. Studies show that fish oil supplements rich in EPA and DHA help to alleviate symptoms associated with these brain disorders. (4)

Research has also shown that an excess of omega-6s promotes high blood levels of estradiol, a marker for high susceptibility to breast cancer. (5,6,7) In one study, researchers evaluated over 250 women with breast cancer, analyzing their fat relative to 90 women without breast cancer. Their conclusion was that there was a protective effect from omega-3 fatty acids that affected breast cancer risk, supporting the importance of the omega-6/omega-3 ratio in the development of breast cancer. (12)

PMS is also associated with elevated estrogen (estradiol) levels. High estrogen levels in the blood tend to increase insulin levels and this reduces blood sugar. (8,9,10,11) Low blood sugar leads to irritability, which is one of the main problems in PMS.

What is the Solution?

The epidemic of omega-3 deficiency and omega-6/omega-3 imbalance would be quickly remedied if people included just a little omega-3 EFA in their daily diet.

Good dietary sources of omega-3s include fatty fish and fish oil (mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring, and salmon), flax seed oil, borage oil, and evening primrose oil. Green leafy vegetables, certain seeds and nuts, and wild game such as venison contain omega-3s. Cattle, chickens, pigs and other animals have much higher levels of omega-3s when they are allowed to “free-range” or are “grass-fed”. Eggs from chickens fed an omega-3 rich diet are also much preferable.

Plant oils such as flax, while rich in the omega-3 ALA, may not be the best alternative. Studies have shown that foods rich in ALA are inefficient at increasing cellular levels of EPA and DHA. People who consume a high level of saturated fats (from red meat, for example), or who have certain health conditions, may have difficulty converting ALA into usable omega-3 forms. Even in healthy people, as little as 2% of the ALA in flax oil may be converted into EPA and DHA. (17,18)

By far, the best source for omega-3s are wild fish and fish oils derived from wild fish (farm-raised fish often contain much lower levels of omega-3s). The omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish are considered to be 5-10 times more powerful in their biological activity than those found in plants. In addition, the omega-3s in fish are high in DHA and EPA. These omega-3s are superior to ALA when dealing with diabetes, prostate cancer, macular degeneration, and asthma.

A potential problem with eating fish is its mercury content. In recent years mercury levels have climbed considerably in many fish species, with a general rule of thumb being that the larger the fish, the more mercury it may contain. Species such as salmon, mackerel, and herring generally contain less mercury than tuna or marlin – but is any level of mercury safe? This problem can be overcome by using a quality omega-3 supplement.

What to Avoid

To improve your EFA profile it is important to eliminate polyunsaturated vegetable oils that are largely omega-6. Utilizing polyunsaturated oils such as corn, soy, safflower, and sunflower can contribute to an overabundance of omega-6 fatty acids in your body, and worsen the omega-6/omega-3 ratio. It is common for packaged and canned food to contain these oils, and they are commonly used in fast food restaurants.

Recently, high-oleic (omega-9) versions of safflower and sunflower oils have come into use, produced from hybrid plants which have a composition similar to olive oil. These high-oleic oils are sometimes used by food processing companies who care about health, however it is difficult to find truly cold-pressed versions of these oils.

Canola oil, the newest oil on the market, was developed from rapeseed, a member of the mustard family. Rapeseed is unsuited to human consumption because it contains erucic acid, which under some circumstances is associated with fibrotic heart lesions. So canola oil was genetically bred to contain little if any erucic acid, and gained the attention of nutritionists because it contained a modest amount of omega-9 and omega-3.

But there are some indications that canola oil presents dangers of its own. It has a high sulphur content and goes rancid easily. Baked goods made with canola oil develop mold very quickly. And during processing, the omega-3 fatty acids of canola oil can be transformed into trans fatty acids, similar to those in margarine. (19) Although the Canadian government lists the trans fat content of canola at a minimal 0.2 percent, research at the University of Florida found trans fat levels as high as 4.6 percent in commercial oil. (20) And a recent study indicates that canola oil actually creates a deficiency of vitamin E. (21)

Another reason to avoid polyunsaturated oils is that they tend to become oxidized or rancid when subjected to oxygen, light, moisture, and heat – such as in cooking and processing – and this rancidity may not be noticeable in the taste. Rancid oils are characterized by a free radical cascade and are extremely reactive chemically. (22) Free radicals are "marauders" and in the body attack cell membranes and red blood cells, causing damage to DNA/RNA strands – which triggers mutations in tissue, blood vessels and skin. Free radical damage to the skin causes wrinkles and premature aging; free radical damage to the tissues and organs sets the stage for tumors; free radical damage in the blood vessels initiates the buildup of plaque.

References:

1. Haban et al. The effect of n-3 fatty acid administration on selected indicators of cardiovascular disease risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Bratislavske Lekarske Listy 99(1): 37-42, 1998.
   
2. Bibus, DM, Stitt, PA, Holman, RT. Ratios of Linoleic and Alpha Linolenic Acids in the Diet: Implications in the Health of Humans and Companion Animals. Proc. Of the 57th Flax Institute of the USA, March, 1998, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND pp. 49-58, 1998.
   
3. Simopoulos, A.P., Salem N., Am J Clin Nutr, 1992, 55:411-4
   
4. Peet, M. et al. A dose-ranging study of the effects of ethyl-eicosapentaenoate in patients with ongoing depression despite apparently adequate treatment with standard drugs. Archives of General Psychiatry 2002;59:913-919.
   
5. 5. Holm, L.E. Treatment failure and dietary habits in women with breast cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 85(1): 32-36, 1993.
   
6. 6. Howe, G.E. Dietary factors and risk of breast cancer: combined analysis of 12 case-control studies. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 82(7): 561-569, 1990.
   
7. 7. Kushi, L.H. Dietary Fat and postmenopausal breast cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 84(14): 1092-99, 1992.
   
8. 8. Lee, H.P. Dietary effects on breast-cancer risk in Singapore. Lancet 337: 1197-1200, 1991.
   
9. 9. Lee, J.R. Is Natural Progesterone the Missing Link in Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment. Medical Hypotheses 35, 316-318, 1991.
   
10. 10. Peat, R.F. Progesterone: Essential to Your Well-Being. Let's Live, April 1982.
11. 11. Reinish, J.M., The Female Patient, p.87, April 1978.
    
12. 12. Maillard V. et al, 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. Int J Cancer March 2002 1;98(1):78-83
    
13. 13. Billman. Prevention of ischemia-induced ventricular fibrillation by omega-3 fatty acids. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 91:4427-4430, 1993.
    
14. 14. Burr. Effects of changes in fat, fish and fibre intakes on death and myocardial reinfarction: diet and reinfarction trial (Dart). Lancet Sept. 1989: 757-761, 1989.
    
15. 15. Carper, J. Food Your Miracle Medicine: How Food Can Prevent and Cure Over 100 Symptoms and Problems. Based on more than 10,000 scientific studies. HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, NY., 1993.
    
16. 16. Rousseau et al. Is a dietary n-3 fatty acid supplement able to influence the cardiac effect of the psychological stress? Mol Cell. Biochem. 178(1-2): 353-366, 1998.
17. 17. Pawlowsky, R.J. et al. Physiological compartmental analysis of linolenic acid metabolism in humans. J Lipid Res 2001; 42: 1257-1265
18. 18. Gerster, H. Can adults adequately convert alpha-linolenic acid (18:n-3) to eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3)? Int J Vitam Nutr Res 1998;68(3): 159-73
19. 19. Enig, M.G., PhD, Personal communication.
    
20. 20. O’Keefe, S. et al. Levels of Trans Geometrical Isomers of Essential Fatty Acids in Some Unhydrogenated US Vegetable Oils. Journal of Food Lipids 1994;1:165-176.
    
21. 21. Sauer, F.D. et al, Nutr Res, 1997, 17:2:259-269
    
22. 22. Harris. Modification of lipid-related atherosclerosis risk factors by w-3 fatty acid ethyl esters in hypertriglyceridemic patients. J Nutr Biochem 4: 706-712, 1993.
    
23. 23. Pinckney E.R., MD, Pinckney C., The Cholesterol Controversy, Sherbourne Press, Los Angeles, 1973; Enig M.G., PhD et al, Fed Proc, July 1978, 37:9:2215-2220
    
24. 24. Machlin, I.J., Bendich, A., FASEB Journal, 1987, 1:441-445
    
25. 25. Carper, J. Miracle Cures: Dramatic New Scientific Discoveries Revealing the Healing Powers of Herbs, Vitamins and Other Natural Remedies. HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, NY., 1997.
    
26. 26. Holman, RT. Deficiencies of Essential omega 3 fatty acids in humans are not rare. Proc. 56th Flax Institute of the USA, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo. Pp. 1-8, 1996.
    
27. 27. Horrobin. Nutritional and Medical Importance of Gamma-linolenic Acid. Prog. Lipid Res. 31(2): 163-194, 1992.
    

The Health Benefits of Olive Oil

History

The health and therapeutic benefits of olive oil were first mentioned by Hippocrates, the father of medicine, and for centuries the nutritional, medicinal, and cosmetic benefits of olive oil have been recognized by the people of the Mediterranean area.

To the ancient Greeks, the olive tree was a gift from the gods. According to Homer in the 8th century BC, it provided “liquid gold”. The mythology tells us that the goddess Pallas Athena sprouted the olive tree, “capable of giving flame for lighting up the night, of soothing wounds, of being precious food, both rich in flavor and a source of energy”.

For centuries the olive has been a symbol of peace, friendship and fertility. The Bible includes nearly 100 references to olive trees and another 140 to olive oil. It is referred to in the Koran as a condiment for the table, and Muslims believe it to be from “the Blessed Tree”.

While olive trees were always present around the Mediterranean lands, some historians believe that olive cultivation was introduced into Spain towards the end of the second millennium before Christ, when the Phoenicians began to settle in the Iberian Peninsula. Spain is the largest producer of table olive oil in the world, and considered by many to produce some with the highest quality and most unique character. Spain has about 200 million olive trees in production, occupying 5 million acres of land, primarily in the south-central part of the country.

Health Benefits

Olive oil has been long regarded as the "beauty oil". The body's cells incorporate its valuable fatty acids, making arteries more supple and skin more lustrous.

But olive oil’s beauty is more than skin deep. It dissolves clots in capillaries, has been found to lower the absorption of edible fats, and slows down the aging process. It contains antioxidants that protect against artery clogging, chronic diseases, and free radical damage. And it’s rich in vitamins A, B-1, B-2, C, D, E, K, and in iron.

While anecdotal stories praising the benefits of olive oil are legion, scientific research has now confirmed olive oil’s status as a health-promoting oil. Derived from a fruit – olive oil has no cholesterol and very little saturated fat (which can increase body cholesterol). Olive oil has a high level of monounsaturated (omega-9) fatty acids – up to 80% – which are mainly derived from oleic acid.

Fats are macronutrients that play an important role in controlling cholesterol, regulating hormones and balancing the immune system. While many people may need to reduce the total amount of fat in their diets, it’s just as important – perhaps more important – to include the right kinds of high quality fats. Olive oil can help provide the body with the proper “fat balance.”

Scientists now believe that monounsaturated fats actually reduce cholesterol in the bloodstream. Omega-9 fatty acids found in olive oil control LDL (“bad” cholesterol) levels while raising HDL (“good” cholesterol) levels – improving the HDL/LDL ratio and making it an ideal oil for human consumption.

Omega-9 fatty acids are resistant to oxidation and hold their stability and freshness for much longer than many less stable oils. In addition, the natural nutritional compounds found in olive oil make it a potent nutritional food and an excellent source of many micro nutrients.

It is widely believed that the antioxidant substances found in olive oil (such as vitamins E, K and polyphenols) provide a defense mechanism that delays aging and helps to prevent carcinogenesis, artherosclerosis, and liver disorders. In a study conducted at the Health Institute in Rome, Italy, it was shown that the antioxidants in extra-virgin olive oil protect against oxidative stress, thought to be a key mechanism in the onset of several diseases. “Our investigations suggest that dietary intake of extra-virgin olive oil may play a role in preventing the onset of artherosclerosis, as well as inflammatory bowel disease ... a dietary intake of extra virgin olive oil may contribute to lower the risk of coronary heart disease” the researchers concluded.

Olive oil has trace amounts of squalene, a substance with nutritional properties associated with connective tissue function. Beta carotene is also present in the oil as are other tocopherols. Sterols, which provide easy absorption and emulsification properties when digested, are also present in olive oil, as are phospholipids which help emulsify and digest fats uniformly. All these healthy substances also provide minute but important quantities of sub-nutrients, which provide an array of nutritional properties associated with cell membrane integrity.

Plant sterols play an important role in maintaining good overall health. The amount of total sterols in extra virgin olive oil can vary between 100 and 300 mg/100g oil – depending on the quality of the oil. By far the major sterol in olive oil is beta-sitosterol, comprising up to 90-95% of the total sterols. The potent activity of beta-sitosterol has been shown in scientific studies to reduce cancer risk, lower cholesterol, lower blood sugar, and play a key role in achieving a variety of other important health benefits.

Another abundantly available component in olive oil is squalene. In a wide range of studies, both squalene and plant sterols have been shown to exert beneficial anti-cancer effects.

Studies have also consistently shown the protective role of olive oil in breast cancer prevention. In Greece, women with high total fat intake, mainly from olive oil, have a breast cancer rate of only about one-third that of women in the United States.(1) A study in Spain showed a reduced risk for breast cancer in women with the highest olive oil consumption. (2) In a large study in Greece breast cancer risk was 25% lower in women consuming olive oil more than once a day. (3) And in a Spanish study, women in the highest third of monounsaturated fatty acid consumption (largely from olive oil) had a greatly reduced risk of breast cancer. (4) Leading scientists have suggested that this anti-cancer effect might be due to the large amount of squalene in extra virgin olive oil.

In addition, bones need a large amount of oleates, and the large amount of oleic acid in olive oil promotes bone mineralization (important in avoiding osteoporosis). Olive oil also contains growth factors that provide anti-aging effects in the overall maintenance of the body structure.

Considering the probability of synergistic effects between squalene, phytosterols, phenols, tocopherols, flavour compounds, and the favourable fatty acid composition – the health benefits of olive oil as a whole might even be higher than the sum of its individual beneficial parts.

Note: Studies consistently show that the quantity of valuable nutrients in olive oil vary greatly with oil quality. The better the quality of the oil – the more beneficial nutrients it contains. Always buy a high quality olive oil to obtain the greatest benefits. The highest quality olive oil tends to be “cold-pressed, extra-virgin”.

References:

1. Newmark HL. Squalene, olive oil, and cancer risk. Review and hypothesis. Ann NY Acad Science 1999;889:193-203.
2. Martin-Moreno JM, et al. Dietary fat, olive oil intake and breast cancer risk. Int J Cancer 1994;58:774-80.
3. Trichopoulou A, et al. Consumption of olive oil and specific food groups in relation to breast cancer risk in Greece. J Natl Cancer Inst 1995;87:110-6.
4. Landa MC, Frago N, Tres A. Diet and the risk of breast cancer in Spain. Eur J Cancer Prev 1994;3:313-20.
   

WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS

Olive oil and antioxidant properties
Numerous teams of researchers in Europe, Australia and North America have documented the value of olive oil as an antioxidant, and its protective effect against free radicals. Other oils have a high monounsaturate content but they contain smaller quantities of these polyphenols (Colquhoun et al, 1996). There are oils that are rich in oleic acid, but they all necessarily have to be refined before being eaten. Olive oil is the only oil that can be eaten as soon as it is extracted (virgin oil) without refining or industrial processing, which enables it to retain innumerable substances, antioxidants and vitamins that add to its nutritional value. For example, it has been reported (Gey et al, 1992) that olive oil supplies 3-5 times more vitamin E than other vegetable oils.

Olive oil and blood pressure
Several studies have confirmed that blood pressure can be significantly lowered when olive oil is consumed regularly (Mancini et al, 1985; Aravanis et al, 1980; Williams et al, 1987). Recent research (Ferrara et al, 2000) reports that the use of olive oil lowers daily anti-hypertensive dosage requirements, possibly through enhanced nitric oxide levels stimulated by polyphenols.

Olive oil and diabetes
An olive-oil-rich diet is not only a good alternative in the treatment of diabetes (Bonanome et al, 1991), it can also prevent or slow down the onset of the disease. It prevents insulin resistance and its possible harmful consequences (Wolever et al, 1999; Mancini et al, 1992), it raises HDL-cholesterol and lowers blood triglycerides (Lerman-Garber et al, 1994). In addition, it ensures better control of glucose in the blood (Garg et al, 1988, 1993, 1994).

Olive oil and cancer
Epidemiological studies reveal that olive oil has a protective effect against some types of malignant tumours, especially breast, colon, prostate, endometrium, and digestive tract (Trichopoulou, 1995; 1997; Trichopoulou and Lagiou, 1997; Braga et al, 1998; La Vecchia et al, 1995,1999; Gasull et al, 2000).

Olive oil and life expectancy
Olive oil has been shown to strengthen the immune system against external attacks caused by microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses (Peck et al, 1995, 1996, 2000; Álvarez Cienfuegos et al, 1999). A research team at the University of Athens recently found that regular olive oil consumption reduces the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Although the mechanism is not yet clear, the authors suggest that antioxidants are believed to be behind this beneficial effect. Olive oil is rich in vitamin E, which plays a positive biological role in removing free radicals, which are the molecules involved in certain chronic diseases and in the aging process. Hence, olive oil is believed to play a part in increasing life expectancy.

Olive oil and brain function
A study at the University of Bari, Italy found that olive oil is good for the brain (Caruso et al, 1999). The researchers found that olive oil consumption provides protection against deterioration of the cognitive functions related to aging and age-related memory loss.

Olive oil and skin
Owing to its vitamin E and antioxidant content, olive oil has a protective, toning effect on the skin, and is believed to be especially suited for preventing the appearance of skin lesions.

Olive oil and bone density
Olive oil appears to play a favourable part in bone calcification, and high consumption improves bone mineralisation (Laval-Jeantet et al, 1980).

Olive oil and the digestive tract
Olive oil is the fat that is best digested and absorbed, and has a mild laxative effect that helps to combat constipation (Ricci, 1969). Owing to its effective action on the gallbladder, olive oil prevents the appearance of cholesterol gallstones (Massini and Cairella, 1967).

Omega-3 – Nature’s Endangered Nutrient

Throughout history humankind has ingested approximately equal proportions of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. Nearly every biological function is somehow interconnected with this delicate omega-6/omega-3 balance. However, the rapid change in this balance over the past 50-100 years has had absolutely deleterious effects on the human bio-physiology.

The typical North American diet is chock full of omega-6 fatty acids from milk, ice cream, butter, pizza, beef, hamburgers, steaks, fried foods, cookies, chips, processed food, and baked goods. In contrast, we are typically omega-3 starved. This omega-3 shortfall has literally changed the composition of our brains and bodies. Studies have shown that when cells are deprived of vital omega-3s, they attempt to compensate by incorporating saturated fats into cell membranes. The result is a stiff and ineffectual structure that must serve as the cell’s means of commerce and exchange with the rest of the body.

Because omega-6s break down into arachidonic acid in the body, and arachidonic acid is converted into highly inflammatory chemicals, this huge increase in the availability of arachidonic acid translates into a huge increase in the potential for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

On the other hand, omega-3s are intimately involved in the control of inflammation, as well as in cardiovascular health, myelin sheath development, allergic reactivity, immune response, hormone modulation, IQ, and behavior. Our lack of omega-3s has allowed cellular deterioration along with inflammatory processes and diseases to become the bane of contemporary healthcare.

Severe omega-3 deficiency problems began with the food processing industry’s extensive use of vegetable and seed oils. These oils are loaded with omega-6 fatty acids, but almost all of them are completely devoid of omega-3s. The processing of oils derived from corn, soybean, peanut, safflower and sunflower created an extremely concentrated source of omega-6 in the food chain.

Because omega-3 quickly goes rancid when exposed to light or oxygen, food manufacturers soon learned that the presence of omega-3 significantly decreased the shelf-life of their products. Omega-3 was therefore purposely avoided in the production of processed foods. The widespread use of trans (hydrogenated) fats, which had a long shelf life, made matters even worse.

At the same time, methods of animal husbandry were developed to purposely fatten livestock for slaughter. Where a century ago people ate more wild game or animals raised in a “free-range” environment with better omega-3 profiles, now commercial livestock are fed carbohydrate-rich grains teeming with omega-6 but devoid of omega-3. For example, the wild pig has an omega-6/3 ratio of 1:1, compared to corn fed commercial animals whose ratio is around 20:1. Range fed chickens produce eggs with an omega-6/3 ratio near 2:1, while commercially fed chicken eggs can be as high as 19:1.

The wide availability of "farm-raised” fish has also negatively impacted omega-3 intake. While fatty fish are usually a good source of omega-3, farmed fish do not have dietary access to the same phytoplankton that creates omega-3 in the first place, so their tissue omega-3 levels are considerably reduced.

These events combined to effectively eliminate omega-3 fatty acids from our food chain. With the rise of knowledge related to the reality of omega-3 benefits, some food manufacturers are attempting to artificially re-introduce omega-3 into a wide variety of food products, mainly using flax. However these efforts are very unlikely to provide sufficient therapeutic dosages of omega-3.

Despite our best efforts, it is difficult to avoid excessive dietary omega-6 intake. The changes that have come about in ranching methods, food processing, dietary choice, the number of restaurant meals consumed, and fast food availability have made it almost impossible to maintain the delicate omega-6/3 balance through diet alone.

The most effective way to consume the quantities of omega-3 needed to ensure cellular integrity is through incorporating a therapeutic omega-3 supplement in addition to dietary alteration.

Overcoming Carbohydrates - The Glycemic Index

Eating an excess of poor quality carbohydrates – particularly from fast and convenience foods – is making people overweight and unhealthy. The complications from the unhealthy blood sugar levels that result are contributing to an epidemic of chronic diseases – including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes – as well as to the suppression of the immune system and a variety of digestive disorders.

How can you tell if you’re eating too many poor carbohydrates that spike your blood sugar? If you experience any of the following symptoms, chances are good that excess carbohydrate consumption is at least partly to blame:

• Excess weight
• Fatigue and frequent sleepiness
• Not mentally sharp
• Bloating
• Low blood sugar
  
• High blood pressure
• High triglycerides
• Depression

These symptoms can continue to develop into something much more serious. One recent study followed more than 38,000 women for eight years, and found that those whose diets included a lot of carbohydrates and sweets – such as baked potatoes, pasta, refined flour products and sweets – were nearly three times more likely to develop colorectal cancer (Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Feb. 4, 2004).

The Basics of Carbohydrate Consumption

Up until a few years ago, health professionals believed that if a food was composed of complex carbohydrates (starches), it would break down into sugars more slowly than food composed of simple carbohydrates (sugars). However, new research has revealed a much different picture.

When you eat a slice of bread, the flour from the bread breaks down into sugar (glucose) in your body to provide you with energy. The same thing happens when you eat a piece of fruit, drink a glass of milk or eat a chocolate bar. Each of these foods contain a different type of sugar. Fructose is a sugar in fruit, lactose is found in milk, and sucrose is found in the chocolate bar. All of these sugars are broken down during digestion and provide you with energy.

The speed at which a food is able to increase a person's blood glucose level is called the glycemic response. The glycemic response is influenced by many factors. These include the type of ingredients used in the food, the way it’s prepared, and the amount of it you eat. For example, pasta cooked “al dente” (firm) is absorbed more slowly than pasta that is overcooked and soft.

Any meal or snack high in carbohydrates generates a rapid rise in blood glucose. To adjust for this rise, the pancreas secretes insulin (a hormone) into the bloodstream, which lowers the glucose level. However, insulin is designed to convert any excess calories from carbohydrates into fat, and store it in the fatty tissues (to provide us with a reserve of fuel in case there’s a famine). In addition to creating fat, high insulin levels resulting from excessive carbohydrate consumption leads to the suppression of two important hormones – glucagons and growth hormones – which are responsible for burning fat and promoting muscle development.

So eating too many carbohydrates causes the release of insulin, which promotes fat production, and suppresses the body's ability to burn that fat. An unfortunate combination indeed.

The Glycemic Index

However, there are “good” carbs (such as beans, fruits, whole grains) and “bad” carbs(such as white flour, sugar, and products made from them). Research has been conducted to measure the speed at which different foods affect blood glucose levels, and this was compared to the blood’s response to pure glucose. Glucose is given the value of 100, and other foods are ranked according to their response relative to glucose.

This is called the “Glycemic Index” (GI), and it ranks carbohydrates based on how much they raise blood sugar levels. Foods with a high GI (above 70) break down rapidly intosugars, resulting in carbohydrate cravings and sharp fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Low GI foods (below 55) should be your preferred choice because they are slowly digested, producing only gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels.

The GI value tells you how rapidly a particular carbohydrate turns into glucose. But it doesn't tell you how much carbohydrate there is in that particular food. You need to know both things to fully understand a food's effect on blood sugar.
“Glycemic Load” (GL) is a relatively new measurement that takes both of these elements into account. For example, the carbohydrate in watermelon has a high GI of 74. But there isn't a lot of volume, so watermelon's glycemic load is only 4 (with GL, low=1-10 while high=20+). Various types of pasta have a relatively low GI around 45, but a high glycemic load of 20 or higher.

Strategic Eating

Selecting foods with a low glycemic index can help you to manage your blood sugar, lose weight, curb food cravings and delay hunger. Low GI foods can help re-fuel the body after exercise and prolong endurance.
Because your pancreas works to moderate glucose levels by releasing insulin, eating a lot of high GI foods puts you at risk for developing insulin resistance, an underlying cause of obesity, unhealthy blood fat profiles, cardiovascular disease, and adult onset diabetes.

Recent studies from Harvard School of Public Health indicate that the risks of diseases such as diabetes and coronary heart disease are strongly related to the GI of your diet. In 1999, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recommended that people in industrialized countries base their diets on low GI oods in order to prevent the most common diseases of affluence, such as coronary heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Here are a few low glycemic tips for healthy eating:

• Prepare dishes with beans, lentils, and chickpeas – such as chili, soups, or bean salads.
• Eat whole-grain breakfast cereals based on oats, barley and bran
• Eat "grainy", high-fibre breads made with whole seeds
  
• Enjoy all types of fruit and vegetables
• Reduce the amount of potatoes you eat
• Eat pasta, yams, or boiled new potatoes more often than mashed, baked, or instant potatoes
• Eat parboiled, brown, or wild rice more often than other types of rice
• Replace white sugar with natural sweeteners
• Replace corn and potato chips with low glycemic snacks such as fruit

Decisions on foods should be made on the basis of overall nutrition, as well as their impact on blood sugar. While white sugar produces a slower rise in blood glucose levels than potatoes, it lacks the vitamins, minerals and fibre provided by the potato. In addition, eating protein and fat with your meals can slow down the absorption of carbohydrates. So add fats in moderation and choose healthy fats such as olive oil, avocados, or nuts.

You can, and probably should, include a healthy amount of carbohydrates in your diet. Simply replace high GI foods with lower GI alternatives.

Some popular diets are based on eating far fewer carbohydrates. This decreases circulating levels of insulin and triggers a state called “ketosis”, where your body burns fat as fuel because it doesn’t have enough carbs. As with most diets, this strategy can lead to weight loss in the short term. However, to replace carbohydrates these diets tend to recommend high levels of protein consumption. Excessive intake of protein over extended periods can cause serious harm to your kidneys and liver.

In as recent study, obese 30-year-olds were put on a low-GI diet and a comparison group on a low-cal, low-fat diet. To help the low-GI dieters better understand the glycemic index, the researchers devised a new food pyramid: at the bottom were fruits and vegetables. Next were reduced-fat dairy foods, lean meats and fish, nuts and beans. Further toward the top were whole grains, unrefined grains and pastas. At the top were foods to be eaten sparingly: refined grains, potatoes and sweets. After a year, the low-GI dieters had lost 7.8 percent of their body weight compared with 6.1 percent among the low-cal diet group. The low-GI dieters also lowered their triglycerides by 37 percent compared with 19 percent in the low-cal group. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2005).