The Good Oil

A well oiled machine!


Cooking oil is an essential ingredient in a wide variety of dishes. Some oil is healthy and should be included in our daily diet. There are many varieties including: olive oil, soybean oil, canola oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, flaxseed oil and so on.


Olive oil is one of the healthiest and goes well with most Mediterranean dishes. Clinical research has shown that olive oil can promote heart health and assist in cholesterol regulation. Extra virgin oil is the most pure.

Flaxseed oil is rich in essential fatty acid which work throughout the body to protect cell membranes. Like omega 3 fish oil, this reduces the risk of heart disease, lowers cholesterol, improves hair and skin, reduces risk of cancer and balances hormones.

Sunflower oil is very low in saturated fat and high in vitamin E. It is also high in omega-6 fatty acids. It is often the oil of choice for snack foods such as chips.

Preferences for good health

Extra virgin olive for cooking

Cold-pressed unrefined vegetable oils such as sesame, sunflower, etc for salads

Oils low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat

Unhydrogenated margarine

Reduce high fat such as butter

Avoid trans fatty acids or hydrogenated oils :coconut oil, peanut oil, cottonseed oil and palm oil.



Weight gain/loss

All oils have the same effect on weight.One gram of fat is equivalent to 9 calories.


Oil Storage

All oils whether refined or not are effected by exposure to light, heat and oxygen. Oil that is rancid loses the majority of its nutrients so it is best kept in a cool dry place or in the refrigerator. It may thicken if refrigerated but it should retain its liquid nature upon warming to room temperature.


Oils have different expiration dates. Refined oils can keep for well up to a year with the exception of olive oil which will keep for longer- even up to a few years. Oils high in polyunsaturated fats have shorter life spans keeping for about 6 months.



http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/cholesterol/cookingoil.html

Serotonin - Some Useful Information

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid with is conerted in our bodies into serotonin, a neurotransmitter or chemical in the brain. Low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin are often associated with depression.
Our bodies can't produce tryptophan so we need to get it through our food.
Amino Acids are protein fragments, so it is protein-rich foods that can keep your serotonin levels in the happy zone. And the need for serotonin may even explain why we crave carbs - the blood-to-brain absorbtion of tryptophan is helped by carbohydrates, so those cravings may be our brains crying out for more serotonin.
This means protein and tryptophan-rich foods-such as chicken and turkey, tuna and salmon, beans and seeds - can be most effective when eaten alongside slow-release carbohydrates.
If you can improve your diet to include more tryptophan-rich foods, as well as increasing exercise, cutting out caffeine and sugar, and drinking more water, this will boost sertotonin production - doctors claim acts "exactly the same way as anti depressant drugs"

Extract taken from "How to lift your mood with the right food" SMH 22 April 2010

Lift Your Mood with Food

There is a wealth of research that suggests that certain types of food actually contain essential components for good mental health, with deficiencies potentially worsening diagnoseable mental disorders such as depression.

Two recent articles provide some useful information including links .

Thyroid problems can contribute to fatigue, moodiness, anxiety and depression, but a simple step to combat thyroid dysfunction is to get enough selenium. Selenium is a micronutrient found in plant matter that helps the body function and is found in abundance in brazil nuts. "If you have one to two brazil nuts a day, you get your daily intake of selenium".

Top Foods for increasing our intake of folic acid include yeast extract, green vegetables (lightly cooked) and beans and pulses.

One study showed that Mediterannean-style eaters were 30 per cent less likely to develop depression. Try swapping red meat and dairy for fish and olive oil and ditch processed foods in favour of fresh fruit and veg.

How to lift your mood with the right diet

http://www.optuszoo.com.au/news/130364//how-to-lift-your-mood-with-the-right-diet.html

How food can change your mood

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/sunday-heraldsun/how-food-can-change-your-mood/story-e6frf936-1225846356958

Full of Beans!

Did you know that beans and legumes contain many essential nutrients that the body needs to stay healthy? They are high in B group vitamins, iron, calcium, zinc, phosphorous and magnesium.

The phytonutrients and antioxidants in beans are important for reducing inflammation in the body - which is the basis for heart disease, cancers and many other chronic illnesses.

Enjoy green and brown lentils, soy beans, chickpeas, mung beans, butter beans, four bean mix, lima beans and black-eyed beans, to name a few- let your imagination run wild with exciting recipes to tempt and excite your taste buds- plus you will be doing your health and energy levels a favour!

Not hungry in the morning?

Snacking late the previous night or perhaps a mistaken belief you will lose weight, may lead people to avoid breakfast.

Breakfast is THE most important meal. “Breaking the fast” literally means to kick start your metabolism, to burn fat and provide energy for the day.

Breakfast will boost energy to sustain you through the day. Put you in a good mood and act as an anti stress agent. A good start to healthy eating is more easily maintained through the day.

Breakfast helps to boost you immune system and regulate blood sugar and insulin levels. Especially important for children.

The Breakfast Book by Sue Radd provides these tips

People who eat breakfast tend to be thinner and snack less.
Start the day peacefully.
Plan breakfast the night before have things ready including clothes, lunch and other necessities.
You have a better chance to be energised and remain the calm throughout the day.

Live longer

On Channel 7's The Morning Show in October 2009, Local Hills District Nutritionist, Ms Sue Radd spoke about healthy heating for long life.

Ms Radd stated that "it is the colour in colourful fruit and vegetables that help prevent inflammation and lowers cholesterol. This in turn slows down the ageing process. " She said that "legumes that is beans, lentils, tofu etc are the key food group associated with a long life span".

Studies of some unique aged populations known as "blue zones" have shown certain communities life a significantly longer and healthier life. This includes Sardinia in the Mediterranean, Okinawa in Japan, The Adventist Group in California and Costa Rica in the Caribbean . In Japan , Sue Radd said "they have a saying Eat until you are only 80% full. This calorie restriction also prevents obesity which is driving the killer diseases in western countries."

Other lifestyle factors which are shown to contribute to healthy living in these groups include good family values, respect for elders, good work ethic and a belief in a higher power. They also tend to be no smoking and drink less alcohol.

SUMMARY:

To live a long healthy life eat a plant based diet including legumes and some fish and eat smaller portions.

You can check out Sue Radd's segment on longevity diets at: http://au.tv.yahoo.com/video/-/watch/16345021/