Food Sources with High Omega-3 Fatty Acids

In one of my past articles in the Should you Supplement series, I touted the importance of Omega-3 fatty acids and the purpose they serve for optimal health.

As mentioned in the article, Omega-3 fatty acids serve many functions for optimal health, including:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Protection from Stroke and Heart Attack
• Better Brain Function
• Anti-Inflammatory Properties
• Reduction of Breast, Colon and Prostate Cancer
• Decrease in Depression, Attention Deficit Disorder and Aggression

With all of the benefits it may be necessary to supplement with some added flax or fish oil to make sure you are getting the optimal amount of Omega-3 because high levels are absent in many of the food we eat.

Even if supplementation might be a necessary step towards optimal health, eating as many foods with high Omega-3s should be the first line of attack.  There are a variety of foods out there that contain Omega-3 fatty acids and in this article I will list the five sources of food that have some of the highest levels of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Fish

The most common dietary source of Omega-3 Fatty acids can be found in the cold-water, oily fish varieties.  These fish are high in the Omega-3s (EPA and DHA) because their diet is rich in green seaweed and algae.  The fish with the highest amount of Omega-3 are herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines and anchovies; containing anywhere from 1.8-2.2 grams of Omega-3 for every 4 ounce serving.

Eating any of these fish can also supply about seven times the amount of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids.  Make sure of your source because many of these fatty fish can contain higher levels of heavy metals and dioxins; fresh, wild fish is most likely your best options.

Meat

Where fish get their Omega-3 richness from the green algae and seaweed, meat can have very high ratios of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids if the animal source is consuming nutrient rich grass.  If meat is fed grain diets at feedlots the Omega-3 benefits drop immensely.  Look for grass-fed beef and lamb as your best Omega-3 meat sources.

Eggs

Have you ever seen those Omega-3 eggs in the store and wondered how they were different than the other eggs on the shelf and what makes them so Omega-3 enriched?  Keeping with our common theme of you are what you eat, these eggs were produced by chickens that had diets rich in greens and insects compared to ones with diets of corn and soybeans.

Nuts and Seeds

Most nuts contain only trace amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids, however, walnuts are the exception.  For every 1 ounce of walnuts there are 2.6 grams of Omega-3s.  Flax seeds contain one of the highest amounts of Omega-3s in the form of ALA.  For every 1 ounce serving there are 1.8 grams of Omega-3s.

Chia seeds have grown in recent popularity and possibly for good reason.  For every two tablespoon full they contain about 5 grams of Omega-3s.

Plant Sources

When thinking about the nutritional value of plant sources we probably think of fiber, vitamins and phytonutrients before Omega-3 Fatty acids.  Most greens only contain trace amounts of Omega-3s but there are a few sources like spinach, kale, and collard greens that contain about 0.1 grams for every half-cup.  This may seem miniscule when compared to the other sources we have looked at previously, however these greens are very important for optimal health in other ways and the Omega-3s they contain are just an added bonus.

One plant source that contains the highest amounts of Omega-3s is purslane.  One hundred grams of purslane leaves contain 300 to 400mg of ALA.  I personally have never tired this weed but knowing what I know now, I may have to give it a shot.

Conclusion

There is plenty of variety when it comes to foods containing high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, just make sure to know the source of the food to get the most out of what you are eating.

 

Tags: ALA, DHA, EPA, Fish Oils

Should You Supplement: Can You Build Muscle with Branched Chain Amino Acids?

It’s been a while since I have added another article to the Should You Supplement Series and I have not written on the topic because I initially thought I covered everything I wanted to.  Personally, I do not supplement much.  I always prefer that individuals establish a diet from a wide variety of healthy whole foods first before they consider needing to supplement.  After that is addressed it may be a good idea to add in some essential fats that are frequently missing in our diets and possibly doing some vitamin C supplementation as well as a nutrient dense, whole food based multi-vitamin.

With the above being my primarily regimen for an optimal lifestyle, I feel I should address another supplement source, because I do get quite a few questions about it; what protein supplement do you use?  This is a fair question because I have used several different protein supplements throughout my life and there are some really good products out there and some really bad ones as well.  I have taken a few different brands for a number of years and have weaned myself off of them almost entirely because I realized that with protein power supplements you don’t really know what you are getting.

Read the labels; usually it’s some protein propriety blend consisting of protein in indistinguishable ratios and from sources unknown.  Add artificial sweeteners, colors and tons of sugar, fractionated oils and fillers and you have a crazy unknown cocktail with questionable nutritional value and muscle building benefits.

After I train I am not hungry but I know that my body needs nourishment before I can get some solid food into me so protein shakes were the choice at the time.  At the same time, I was trying to fill my body with the best food and supplement sources possible and slamming down these protein shakes seemed liked a contradiction to that.

What I found to be a better alternative for me is to use Branched Chain Amino Acid (BCAA) supplementation in powdered form.  I usually take a little before, during and after my workouts to keep my muscles full of these protein building blocks.

 

What Are BCAAs?

All amino acids are necessary for the body to function properly, and BCAAs only make up three (leucine, valine, isoleucine) of the 23 used during protein synthesis to build muscle tissue.  These three are also part of a group of nine amino acids considered essential.  Essential refers to the type that cannot be created by the body from other sources, so the BCAAs must be present in the protein source consumed to be used by the body for protein synthesis.

These three cannot be produced by the body and are very important because they account for the majority of amino acids directly taken up by the muscles where protein synthesis can occur.  The other amino acids are primarily metabolized by the liver for either energy or to be shuttled to the muscles.

The theory behind their effectiveness for building and maintaining muscle is the idea that the body spares the breakdown of muscle/ protein to be used for energy when the bloodstream is saturated with these BCAAs.  When BCAAs are present in the bloodstream the body will assume that there has been a breakdown of the muscle protein and will therefore spare the muscles from breaking down more and then find another source of fuel.

                                                                                                           

Benefits of BCAA Supplementation

There are several studies touting the positive effects that BCAA supplementation can have for athletes.  Gualano et al. found that BCAA supplementation for glycogen depleted endurance athletes allows the body to enhance the use of fat for energy which spares the breakdown of the muscles and their protein to be used for energy.

There are several studies, including Matsumoto et al. concluding that BCAA supplementation may reduce fatigue and muscle soreness.  Shimomura et al. found that muscle damage caused specifically by squatting may be suppressed by BCAA supplementation which, in turn, could decrease the symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness.  BCAA supplementation can also alleviate soreness caused by eccentric exercises as concluded in the Jackman et al. study.

BCAA supplementation can also help the endurance athletes work at a higher capacity as shown in another study by Matsumoto et al.

What I Personally Use

After researching and reading numerous studies and benefits of BCAA supplementation I have since replaced my protein shakes for BCAA drinks. I have tried a few brands and the one I prefer is the UPS Labs Modern BCAA.  (PIC)  Just to note I do not make any money by endorsing this product, I have just found it to be the best because it comes in a powder form, which can be consumed before, during and after training and the product does not contain any artificial flavors nor colors like some other products do.

On heavy training days I mix up two scoops with water and begin to sip 30min before training, have whatever is left over during training and then two more scoop to consume when I am done.

Conclusion

The studies and support are out there and show that BCAAs can spare muscle breakdown by using other sources of energy without loading the body up with protein powder supplements.  For the athlete looking to add or maintain muscle, decrease soreness and enhance recovery from intense workouts or increase your endurance capacity, they may want to consider BCAA supplementation.

 

References:

Gualano AB, Bozza T, Lopes De Campos P, Roschel H, Dos Santos Costa A, Luiz Marquezi M, Benatti F, Herbert Lancha Junior A. Branched-chain amino acids supplementation enhances exercise capacity and lipid oxidation during endurance exercise after muscle glycogen depletion. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2011 Mar;51(1):82-8.

Jackman SR, Witard OC, Jeukendrup AE, Tipton KD. Branched-chain amino acid ingestion can ameliorate soreness from eccentric exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010 May;42(5):962-70.

Matsumoto K, Koba T, Hamada K, Sakurai M, Higuchi T, Miyata H. Branched-chain amino acid supplementation attenuates muscle soreness, muscle damage and inflammation during an intensive training program. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2009 Dec;49(4):424-31.

Matsumoto K, Koba T, Hamada K, Tsujimoto H, Mitsuzono R. Branched-chain amino acid supplementation increases the lactate threshold during an incremental exercise test in trained individuals. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2009 Feb;55(1):52-8.

Shimomura Y, Inaguma A, Watanabe S, Yamamoto Y, Muramatsu Y, Bajotto G, Sato J, Shimomura N, Kobayashi H, Mawatari K. Branched-chain amino acid supplementation before squat exercise and delayed-onset muscle soreness. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2010 Jun;20(3):236-44.

Tags: supplements

The ANDI Rating System

When I recently went shopping at Whole Foods (some of my friends tease and call it Whole Pay Check) the other week I noticed a small chart embedded within the produce isles ranking certain food items (mostly produce) in terms of their nutrient density.  The system was called the ANDI Nutrition rating System and I had not heard of it until I saw it at the store.  I went home and did some research to figure out what it is and if we should consider this system when purchasing our food for the week.

ADNI; What, who, why, where

It turns out that the ANDI rating system (short for Aggregate Nutrient Density Index) is a relatively new ranking system which analyzes many foods for their nutrient density and ranks them accordingly.  The ranking of the food quality is based mainly on looking at the vitamin content such as:

Calcium, Carotenoids: Beta Carotene, Alpha Carotene, Lutein & Zeaxanthin, Lycopene, Fiber, Folate, Glucosinolates, Iron, Magnesium, Niacin, Selenium, Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc,

They factor in the ORAC score X 2 (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) which is a method of measuring the antioxidant quality of foods.

If the foods contain high levels of the above vitamins and have a low oxidation they are ranked with a higher score (closer to 1000) and if they do not possess the above qualities a score closer to zero is given.

This system was created by Dr. Joel Fuhrman who has a whole campaign called Eat Right America which provides nutritional education, current diet analysis and personalized programs that help people get on track to regain lost physical functions (weight loss, increased energy etc.) with a proper dietary plan.  According to Dr. Fuhrman’s site;

Our modern, low-nutrient eating style leads to an overweight population with common diseases of nutritional ignorance and medical costs spiraling out of control. We need to flip our traditional thinking upside down, and begin eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and grains.

Whole Foods Market has adopted Dr. Fuhrman’s program and looks to have an affiliate relationship with the program.  The Whole Foods web site does not have much information about the program, nor can you join or utilize it through the site but you can link back to the Eat Right America site.

Eat Right America; Is it for me?

With all the different diets and food pyramids out there this one tries to distinguish itself with a quantifiable rating system comparing food choices.  This rating system does have some draw for the consumer because using this system we can say that Item X is ranked higher (or is better) than Item B.  For a person who frequently consumes vegetables this rating system might be a good way to find some variety within and incorporate them into the rotation.  I now for myself I tend to have my weekly staples when it comes to vegetables.  I did look the chart over and decided to mix it up a bit and buy some organic kale.  It is interesting and not a bad way to supplement an already balanced and healthy diet.

Just with almost any system it does not have its potential pitfalls.  One glaring hole that I saw is that the ranking system included some potentially healthy food sources that ranked low on the scale which may cause people to believe that they are not healthy.  Food like avocados, walnuts, chicken breast, ground beef and olive oil all scored really low on the scale.  These foods, in their naturally raised environments provide a variety of nutrients for the body and compose a healthy and balanced diet.

This ranking of the potentially healthy proteins and fats on the scale may lead one to think that a diet of plant based foods is all that is required for optimal health.  Eat Right America also has its own version of a food pyramid with the plant food comprising the base and fats and protein sources at the tip lumped in with sugar and processed foods.  You really have to ask yourself, are they equal?

This step might be taking it too far and even the highly debated USDA food pyramid has a separate section for the protein sources and the sugars.  Without a little research by just looking at this pyramid, it may suggest that the only way to lose weight and be healthy is to have a diet almost completely based on plant food sources.

The strange notion is that when I was searching the Eat Right America web site to see if they flat-out say something like “we are a plant-based/vegetarian system….” I Couldn’t find it.  However I did find this statement:

Keep in mind that nutrient density scoring is not the only factor that determines good health. For example, if we only ate foods with a high nutrient density score our diet would be too low in fat. So we have to pick some foods with lower nutrient density scores (but preferably the ones with the healthier fats) to include in our high nutrient diet. Additionally, if a thin person or highly physically active individual ate only the highest nutrient foods they would become so full from all of the fiber and nutrients that would keep them from meeting their caloric needs and they would eventually become too thin. This of course gives you a hint at the secret to permanent weight control.

After this I was waiting for some suggestions like adding; extra virgin oil, free range eggs and grass-fed beef; But there was nothing more on the subject.  So the Eat Right America system seems a bit perplexing and non-committal.

Final Thoughts

As a scoring chart the ANDI system provides some different produce options and comparison entertainment, however using the Eat Right System as your source of health and weight loss might be ill-advised without some more research.

In the meantime keep life simple, just eat a variety of healthy foods, keep the nutrients balanced from different sources, take your vitamins and say your prayers and all should be right.

 

Resources:

WholeFoods.com

http://www.fooducate.com/blog

http://www.eatrightamerica.com

Tags: Healthy Eating