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February 10, 2012
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Nutrition Article
WALNUTS, A SOURCE OF OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS
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In NUTRITION, baby boomers receive healthy eating tips from health reporters and dietitians, many of whom are boomers, too.  Judy Swancutt Registered Dietitian |
 What a Healthy Nut! |
(50PlusPrime) SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN --
Dwelling on one single food or one supplement to supply all your health needs is actually very defeating. The body is very complex and it needs a variety of foods on a daily basis for the best of health.Fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel and trout, have been targeted as supplying the most of the much needed omega 3 fatty acids recommended for the heart. But some people don’t like fish. The walnut, once only reserved for the Ancient Persian royalty, is also becoming known in the modern world as a good source of omega 3 fatty acids.
Years ago our ancestors consumed a diet rich in non-processed foods that included fish, leafy green vegetable, beans and a variety of nuts. All of these are excellent sources of the essential fatty acids, omega 3 and omega 6. This unprocessed variety would provide a ratio between these two fatty acids of about 1 to 4, which is considered the optimum for health.
In the modern western diet the foods containing the omega 3 fatty acids have been reduced or replaced with foods high in either saturated fats (known to raise cholesterol and contribute to heart disease) or vegetable oils such as corn, safflower, sesame and sunflower oils with a very high concentration of the omega 6 fatty acid and very little omega 3 fatty acid. This drastic increase of omega 6 fatty acids thereby changing the optimum ratio has been associated with edema, increased hypertension and blood clots. By including fish twice a week which is what is recommend by the American Heart Association (AMA) for a healthy heart, the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids is very much improved.
Recent studies have also been lending evidence to the health benefits of including walnuts in the diet. There is evidence that by including as little as 3-6 walnuts every day can provide many of the benefits to the heart associated with fish. It seems that the ratio of omega 3 fatty acid to omega 6 fatty acid in the walnut is very close to the 1 to 4 ratio determined to be the optimum. Fish will always be the best source of omega 3 fatty acids but walnuts may often be more accessible. Including both is even better. Canola oil is a polyunsaturated fat that also is a good source of omega 3 fatting acids.
Walnuts are especially convenient as they make a nice addition to many recipes, can be added to salads or just eaten plain. They are readily available in any grocery store, are inexpensive, and have a long shelf life especially if left in the shell. (For convenience sake you don’t have to have shell.) And unlike in ancient Persia you don’t have to be royalty to enjoy them. Bon appetite! (For more on Omega 3 Fatty Acids, see article dated 9-11-02, on “Omega 3 Fatty Acids for a Healthy Heart.”
