Nuts about fat

Two articles caught my eye today: firstly, the BBC reports on a Spanish study concerning the addition of nuts to the diets of overweight people deemed to have “metabolic syndrome”. The researchers found that the addition of nuts to the so-called Mediterranean diet resulted in a reduction of waist girth, blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Almonds are a particularly beneficial food and have been shown to reduce appetite if eaten before a meal. This is thought to be due to their oleic acid content, but could be due to their high-quality protein and carbohydrate content. Almonds are also considered to be “pre-biotic”, in that they nourish and support the growth of beneficial bacteria in the large intestine.

A second article concerning fats was published in today’s Independent. Titled “Low-fat diets: Not fit for purpose“, the author discusses the lack of evidence behind the promotion of a low-fat diet, and charts the rise in obesity against the lowering of fat consumption. I think it’s really unfortunate that the author chose not to distinguish between types of polyunsaturated fats: those in the know understand that there is an optimum ratio of omega-3:omega-6 polyunsaturated fats in the diet and that the problem is that we are eating waaay too much omega-6′s. We should have about equivalent intakes of both types (that’s a 1:1 ratio). I do think it useful that he highlights the benefits of saturated fats in the diet: indeed lauric acid, as found abundantly in butter and coconut oil, is highly beneficial for the human organism. Yay butter! Boo margarine!

My personal experience bears testimony to this current research: I grew up in a household where tiny rations of butter were scraped onto bread, and margarine was routinely used in baking. As for oil, a drop of sunflower or canola oil was used to fry onions, but there was certainly no sign of olive oil, oily fish or flax seed oil. My brother and sister and I all suffered terrible hay fever. My sister has struggled with ezcema all her life and my brother developed asthma in his late teens. When I converted the vegetarianism at the age of 14, I had no concept whatsoever or eating well. I basically gave up meat, then moved out of my mother’s house and survived on whatever my meagre restaurant skivvy’s salary could provide me. Basically, bread, ramen noodles, margarine, peanut butter, and probably some healthier stuff like fruit in between the beer-drinking sessions. Needless to say, I also developed ezcema, had terribly itchy and dry skin, fine, sparse hair and incredibly dry eyes, especially when my hay fever kicked in around May. As I ‘grew up’ I improved my diet and paid great attention to eating well and getting fit. But, it was not until I read Udo Erasmus’ book “Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill” that I realised how I’d been punishing my body. I began taking flax seed oil and eating plenty of avocadoes, butter, and occasionally oily fish (yes, in contrary to my veggeir principles). I don’t think that I need to tell you that I no longer have bad skin or hair.

so, if you’re still not getting a regular dose of omega-3′s (and I mean daily), then what the heck are you waiting for?