Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Let’s list the growing list of benefits of Omega 3’s as noted in “You On a Diet” by doctors Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz (Go buy this book today, it’s both illuminating and entertaining!). Omega 3’s:

• Act as an anti-inflammatory
• Improve arterial function & clear cholesterol
• Improve blood cholesterol composition (raise HDL’s & lower LDL’s)
• Improve brain function
• Improve desire (you know what I mean and no, I’m not making it up!)
• Antidepressant function (studied in pregnant women but likely applicable to everyone)

In addition to the above (and mentioned in our August 2008 xo fitnews), a study published in the April 2006 edition of Surgical Neurology strongly indicated that supplementing Omega 3’s can actually reduce neck and back pain. Many of the study participants actually discontinued using NSAIDS (anti-inflammatory drugs) to manage their neck and back pain.

Roizen and Oz advise either eating (3) four ounce servings per week of fish (usually deep sea fish like salmon or tuna), eating an ounce of walnuts a day, or taking a 2000mg fish oil tablet daily. Other popular sources of Omega threes are avocados, almonds and other nuts, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds and flax seed oil, as well as dark leafy greens like kale, spinach and broccoli. Olive oil and canola oil are good sources and I honestly can't think why a person would have any other oil in their house.

Recently, many products have also come onto the market featuring Omega 3's. Look for whole grain breads and even tortillas with flax seed, not to mention margerines, eggs and pastas (like Barilla plus).

The final word on Omega 3's is not that you want to ADD them to your diet...you want to REPLACE poor sources (corn oil) with good sources (olive or canola oil).

3 great summer recipes: Pesto, Hummus & Fresh Salsa

Summer always brings opportunities to savor vegetables fresh from the garden and enjoy them with friends at a backyard gathering. Here are three of my favorite recipes that either use fresh farmers market ingredients (pesto, salsa) or are my favorite to bring to a party (hummus & salsa).

Let's start with Pesto since it is packed with Omega 3's:

• 1 bunch Fresh Basil: Washed, Stems removed and Chopped coarsely.
• 1/4 to 1/2c Olive Oil (Omega 3's)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/3c Walnuts (Omega 3's) or pine nuts or raw peanuts
• 1/2t Salt

Blend 1/4c olive oil, salt and garlic in blender. Slowly add chopped fresh basil. Blend coarsely, adding olive oil as needed to create a thick paste. Blend in nuts. Salt to taste and freeze any extra in small containers with little air gap.

Pesto is good on Barilla Plus Pasta (more Omega 3's!), but have you ever made a salad by simply mixing pesto, fresh mozzarella balls and halved cherry tomatoes? Wow! It's extraordinary and a real spotlight of a meal.

Hummus is a favorite food of mine and it is SO simple:

• 1 can chick peas (AKA garbanzo beans) drained (liquid reserved)
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed
• 2 T sesame tahini
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/2 t salt
• 3+ t lemon juice
• optional: chopped fresh parsley

Coarsely mash the chick peas with a fork or potato masher. Then mash in all the other ingredients, adding some of the reserved liquid to achieve a thick paste. Finished hummus is naturally a bit lumpy, so don't worry about getting it perfectly smooth. Experiment and enjoy. Salt to taste.

And Finally, Fresh Salsa. Possibly the best blend of all that fresh goodness of the Farmer's Market.

• 4-6 tomatoes finely diced
• 1 bunch cilantro, rinsed, stems removed and finely chopped.
• 1-2 cloves garlic (careful, raw garlic can add serious heat!)
• 1 jalepeno pepper, seeds and veins removed. Finely chopped
• 1 bunch green peppers, thinly sliced or finely chopped
• 1/2 to whole lemon juice (3+ tablespoons)
• 1 T Olive Oil
• 1 T vinegar (cider, wine or rice vinegar)
• 1/2 t salt (salt to taste)

Mix ingredients together and allow to rest for at least 1/2 hour before serving.