Omega 3 Omega 6 and the rest

Let’s do some detoxing then. All of you must have had fabulous year end and Christmas parties. Lots of food and drink and lots of added kilos; “no worries”, as they say in Australia!

I eat a tomato an some yoghurt in the morning. No bread and butter. Just a nice ripe tomato, some low fat yoghurt, a drop of olive oil, some pepper, a little salt and it tastes great. I have a fresh juice with it; orange or carrot.

As snacks I have nuts; wall nuts and hazelnuts. Both are rich in essential minerals and oils and walnuts provide even more omega 3.

Proteins, carbohydrates and fats require micronutrients, which included vitamins and minerals, to work efficiently.  All the vitamins are essential for good general health, and at least fifteen minerals are considered to be necessary.  Most of these are obtained from the diet.  Micronutrients also clear ‘rust’ from the body, oxidised material which is irritating to the tissues and contributes to disease – the notorious ‘free radicals”. Antioxidants – especially Vitamins A, C and E and glutathione with the mineral selenium – help to rid the body of these. So to detox, stack up on A, C and E preferably through natural food intake and not tablets from the pharmacy.

I hereby provide a list with sources for these vitamins. And as you can see a whole diet can be made only by using these ingredients.

A is available in cod liver oil, halibut liver oil, ox liver, chicken liver, lamb’s liver, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato, dried apricots, broccoli, cabbage, mature carrots, cooked carrots, cantaloupe melon, cheddar cheese, cherries, eel, kale, papaya, mango, sweet peppers, chilli peppers, peaches, prunes, tomato, watercress, dark green leaves and herbs, water melon, whole powdered milk, eggs, fresh apricots, organic butter.

C is found in black currants (raw), grapefruit, guavas, lemons, spinach, kiwi fruit, orange, parsley, rocket, sweet and chilli peppers, cauliflower, watercress, blackcurrants (cooked), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, dark green leafy vegetables, red currants, blackberries, gooseberries, mustard and cress, papaya, liver, kidney, potatoes, sprouted pulses, whole grains and seeds.

E we find in wheat-germ, alfalfa, cod liver oil, corn oil, rapeseed oil, rice, bran, safflower oil, sesame seeds, sunflower oil, wheat-germ oil, almonds, buckwheat flour, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, walnuts, wheat bran, avocados, oats.

Nuts in general are considered super-foods; we will touch on that in later issues. The importance of vitamin E we have touched upon already, what about A and C?

A is important for skin and mucous membranes. It helps with eyesight and may be important in the utilization of iron by the body.  It is a powerful antioxidant.  Retinol (animal source), which is fat-soluble, resists most cooking processes except frying at high temperatures.  It is sensitive to oxygen and light.  Beta carotene (vegetable source), which is water-soluble, is sensitive to light, oxygen and heat.  It is converted to Vitamin A in the body.

C maintains collagen or connective tissue in the body, promotes healing of wounds, burns, injuries etc. It helps to promote the integrity of the capillaries, and is essential for the specific metabolism of amino acids and iron.  It increases resistance to infection.  It is water-soluble, and a powerful antioxidant.  C is easily lost in cooking, as heat, light and oxygen affect it; even cutting up vegetables can reduce their C levels.  Cook whole vegetables if possible in minimum water for the minimum time.

Oh and as you are all so interested here is a quick brief again on vitamin E: it is important for protecting the body from oxidation and also protects against heart disease.  It is fat-soluble.  Little is lost in home cooking, except when frying in fat, but it is unstable when frozen.  Oils lose E content when exposed to light.