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-Gretchen Vannice
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The benefit and detriment of Nutrition in a Sound Bite
In the press this morning is an article suggesting that a high fat diet during pregnancy may lead to obese children. It went on to suggest that offspring were obese even when they (the offspring) did not eat a high fat diet after birth; the offspring also had high triglycerides in their blood.
The study was completed in rats and the full reference citation is not yet available; they report it’s to be published in the November issue of Journal of Neuroscience.
‘Nutrition in a sound bite’ often leads to confusion and misinformation and frequently does not serve or improve the health of our society. What’s the solution?
Here’s the scenario.
*We know most women (over 90%) do not consume the minimum recommended amount of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy - the minimum.
*We know omega-3 fatty acids are nutritionally essential during pregnancy; omega-3 fatty acids are required for normal development of the brain, nerves and eyes in children.
*Omega-3s are dietary essential nutrients. The human body does not make them; they must come from diet. There is no substitute.
*We know inadequate intake of omega-3s during pregnancy compromises the health and IQ in children.
*We have failed to distinguish quality of fat. Not all fats are the same. Omega-3s are essential and necessary, while saturated and trans fats need to be limited.
*Young women may see this report and make choices to reduce fat in their diet, including omega-3s, unless they are under the care of a savvy professional who is nutritionally informed. *Too little omega-3 consumption during pregnancy may increase risk for post-partum depression
THE RESULT; a blanket reduction of fat in the diet during pregnancy does not improve the health status of our pregnant women or their offspring.
There lies the conundrum.
What is the solution? If the offspring in this study had high triglycerides, we know the mothers did not consume adequate omega-3s.
I am looking for input. How do we keep nutrition messaging simple enough, but complete enough to promote the overall healthful messages important for our communities?
I would love to hear from you.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Chia seeds as food or pet?
In recent months, I’ve seen chia seeds appear as a 'new' source of omega-3 fats. Last week, I read an advertising blog stating that chia seeds 'win' as a source of omega-3s. The blog left me concerned over some mistruths that were stated as fact. That is one more reason to know who is writing a blog, and their qualifications (my bio is posted here).
Omega-3 fats in chia seed are plant-source omega-3s. And while plant-source omega-3 has some health benefits, we know from research that the plant-source is not a substitute for the omega-3s in fish and better fish oil products. The omega-3s are different.
Chia seeds are more like flax seeds. To get the nutritional value (including omega-3) from flax seeds, the seeds must be finely ground and consumed immediately, or kept chilled and away from light. I have yet to see these recommendations for consuming chia seeds.
When people consume whole flax seeds, they do not get the nutrients from inside the seed, unless they chew each seed thoroughly. If people eat chia seeds whole, do they get any omega-3 from the seed, or does it pass through the body undigested?
The blog also stated that the nutritional value in fish oil is diminished because it is a processed food. This is completely untrue. Let me clarify.
Better companies sell fish oil that is refined and purified to increase its nutritional value, not diminish it. Purification does remove other fats that exist in fish (fats that we already get enough of, or we don’t want more of, like saturated fat). When companies concentrate the fish oil (like PharmaOmega), then there is much more nutritional value in the fish oil capsules.
It is true that poor quality (e.g. inexpensive) fish oil generally contain little omega-3 and more fats we don’t need; that is one reason the price is low. Inexpensive fish oil is often oxidized, and does not function in the body as well as high quality fish oil. You wouldn’t eat bad fish, so why take bad fish oil. I do not recommend poor quality fish oil, and there is evidence that it may do more harm than good.
The idea that nutritional value of fish oil is diminished because it is a processed food is false. They could have rightly written that eating fish provides calories and other nutrients, such as protein and B-vitamins, but that is not what was written in the blog.
You can rely on this blog to be truthful and research and science-based.
Bottom line: Consume high quality fish oil, eat some fish and enjoy your day.
Omega-3 fats in chia seed are plant-source omega-3s. And while plant-source omega-3 has some health benefits, we know from research that the plant-source is not a substitute for the omega-3s in fish and better fish oil products. The omega-3s are different.
Chia seeds are more like flax seeds. To get the nutritional value (including omega-3) from flax seeds, the seeds must be finely ground and consumed immediately, or kept chilled and away from light. I have yet to see these recommendations for consuming chia seeds.
When people consume whole flax seeds, they do not get the nutrients from inside the seed, unless they chew each seed thoroughly. If people eat chia seeds whole, do they get any omega-3 from the seed, or does it pass through the body undigested?
The blog also stated that the nutritional value in fish oil is diminished because it is a processed food. This is completely untrue. Let me clarify.
Better companies sell fish oil that is refined and purified to increase its nutritional value, not diminish it. Purification does remove other fats that exist in fish (fats that we already get enough of, or we don’t want more of, like saturated fat). When companies concentrate the fish oil (like PharmaOmega), then there is much more nutritional value in the fish oil capsules.
It is true that poor quality (e.g. inexpensive) fish oil generally contain little omega-3 and more fats we don’t need; that is one reason the price is low. Inexpensive fish oil is often oxidized, and does not function in the body as well as high quality fish oil. You wouldn’t eat bad fish, so why take bad fish oil. I do not recommend poor quality fish oil, and there is evidence that it may do more harm than good.
The idea that nutritional value of fish oil is diminished because it is a processed food is false. They could have rightly written that eating fish provides calories and other nutrients, such as protein and B-vitamins, but that is not what was written in the blog.
You can rely on this blog to be truthful and research and science-based.
Bottom line: Consume high quality fish oil, eat some fish and enjoy your day.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Fish oil and LDL-cholesterol - what's going on?
The benefits of omega-3 fish oil for the heart are undeniable. I don’t believe there is more research on any one nutrient, any one natural product, in humans and the heart (and I’ve worked with natural product research for 20 years).
Omega-3 fish oil is proven to reduce triglycerides, improve circulation, lower resting heart rate, normalize blood pressure, reduce inflammation and maintain healthier blood vessels. Adults who have more omega-3 (EPA and DHA) in their blood are less likely to die from sudden cardiac death or have a fatal first heart attack. And this is just the short list of benefits.
On the same token, there is poor understanding about omega-3 fish oil and LDL-cholesterol. Clinical research indicates that omega-3 fish oil may slightly increase LDL-cholesterol. If this happens, how can it be good?
Earlier this month, Dr. Andrew Weil addressed this topic in an email, and I’m glad he did. Maybe, together, we can better understand what is going on.
Having LDL-cholesterol in our blood is healthy, normal and necessary. Let’s take a closer look.
LDL-cholesterol (LDL-c) is transported in the blood in what are called ‘particles’. LDL-c particles can exist as small and dense particles; small, dense particles are considered damaging and they increase risk for heart disease. LDL-c particles can also exist as large and buoyant particles; large and buoyant particles are considered healthful and they reduce risk for heart disease.
Omega-3 fish oil makes LDL-c particles larger and more buoyant (e.g., healthier)
The Bottom Line: We need some LDL-cholesterol in our body (cholesterol has benefits, too). Omega-3 fish oil helps us have a healthier form of LDL-cholesterol and that reduces risk for heart disease. The levels may go up, but because the form is healthier, it is good.
Please write with questions or comments. I hope this is clear. Is it?
Omega-3 fish oil is proven to reduce triglycerides, improve circulation, lower resting heart rate, normalize blood pressure, reduce inflammation and maintain healthier blood vessels. Adults who have more omega-3 (EPA and DHA) in their blood are less likely to die from sudden cardiac death or have a fatal first heart attack. And this is just the short list of benefits.
On the same token, there is poor understanding about omega-3 fish oil and LDL-cholesterol. Clinical research indicates that omega-3 fish oil may slightly increase LDL-cholesterol. If this happens, how can it be good?
Earlier this month, Dr. Andrew Weil addressed this topic in an email, and I’m glad he did. Maybe, together, we can better understand what is going on.
Having LDL-cholesterol in our blood is healthy, normal and necessary. Let’s take a closer look.
LDL-cholesterol (LDL-c) is transported in the blood in what are called ‘particles’. LDL-c particles can exist as small and dense particles; small, dense particles are considered damaging and they increase risk for heart disease. LDL-c particles can also exist as large and buoyant particles; large and buoyant particles are considered healthful and they reduce risk for heart disease.
Omega-3 fish oil makes LDL-c particles larger and more buoyant (e.g., healthier)
The Bottom Line: We need some LDL-cholesterol in our body (cholesterol has benefits, too). Omega-3 fish oil helps us have a healthier form of LDL-cholesterol and that reduces risk for heart disease. The levels may go up, but because the form is healthier, it is good.
Please write with questions or comments. I hope this is clear. Is it?
Monday, July 28, 2008
Absorption Enhancers for Omega-3?
Answer me this: When have generally healthy Americans ever had trouble absorbing dietary fat?
It’s evident that Americans are stellar at absorbing fat from the diet. It’s not a matter of IF we absorb fat; it’s a serious matter of the TYPE of fat we are absorbing (when it comes to health and chronic disease risk). For better or worse, we efficiently absorb fat we eat. What we are seeing today are results from eating diets rich in saturated and trans fats and diets low (deficient) in omega-3s. We haven’t always eaten like we do today. We also haven’t needed absorption enhancers in our fish oil capsules.
A colleague sent me a website link today that was selling an omega-3 product by putting down omega-3 fish oil capsules that did not contain ‘absorption enhancers’. After I stopped laughing, I realized how this deceptive marketing was problematic for patients and consumers.
The website ‘appeared’ to be providing objective product evaluations. It ‘seemed’ to be reasonable until one looked for contact information, company validation, claim substantiation, etc.
Please share the word. Fish oil provided in simple gelatin capsules is readily absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. It’s documented and proven. Fish oil, like any fat-based food or supplement, is better absorbed with a meal or snack that contains some fat. That’s basic nutrition. Vitamin C is best transported with water because it’s water soluble.
To be sure, there are some health conditions that warrant special fish oil preparations. For example, individuals with crohn’s disease benefit from taking enteric-coated fish oil. In general, enteric coating of fish oil capsules is a marketing approach to mask inferior product or create a reason to inflate the price.
What Americans fundamentally need is quality fish oil products (concentrated, purified, fresh) and methods for effectively evaluating bogus websites.
As for this blog, I am a registered dietitian. My license can be verified with the Commission for Dietetic Registration for The American Dietetic Association. Staying true to my professional license, I discuss valid ingredients, published research and follow sound nutrition science principles.
It’s evident that Americans are stellar at absorbing fat from the diet. It’s not a matter of IF we absorb fat; it’s a serious matter of the TYPE of fat we are absorbing (when it comes to health and chronic disease risk). For better or worse, we efficiently absorb fat we eat. What we are seeing today are results from eating diets rich in saturated and trans fats and diets low (deficient) in omega-3s. We haven’t always eaten like we do today. We also haven’t needed absorption enhancers in our fish oil capsules.
A colleague sent me a website link today that was selling an omega-3 product by putting down omega-3 fish oil capsules that did not contain ‘absorption enhancers’. After I stopped laughing, I realized how this deceptive marketing was problematic for patients and consumers.
The website ‘appeared’ to be providing objective product evaluations. It ‘seemed’ to be reasonable until one looked for contact information, company validation, claim substantiation, etc.
Please share the word. Fish oil provided in simple gelatin capsules is readily absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. It’s documented and proven. Fish oil, like any fat-based food or supplement, is better absorbed with a meal or snack that contains some fat. That’s basic nutrition. Vitamin C is best transported with water because it’s water soluble.
To be sure, there are some health conditions that warrant special fish oil preparations. For example, individuals with crohn’s disease benefit from taking enteric-coated fish oil. In general, enteric coating of fish oil capsules is a marketing approach to mask inferior product or create a reason to inflate the price.
What Americans fundamentally need is quality fish oil products (concentrated, purified, fresh) and methods for effectively evaluating bogus websites.
As for this blog, I am a registered dietitian. My license can be verified with the Commission for Dietetic Registration for The American Dietetic Association. Staying true to my professional license, I discuss valid ingredients, published research and follow sound nutrition science principles.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Omega-3s from food or supplements? Keep it simple
A commentary just published in The Journal of the American Dietetic Association discusses whether people should consume omega-3s from food or supplements (Kris-Etherton, Hill, 2008).
Omega-3 fats are essential to the diet because humans cannot make them and they are required for normal growth and development in humans (from conception to old age). We need them.
Although we do not have a US RDA at this time, most experts agree that adults need a minimum of 500 mg of EPA and DHA from fish oil for health maintenance, and more for therapeutic benefits (e.g. reducing triglycerides, relieving pain of arthritis). The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 1000 mg EPA and DHA from fish oil for individuals at risk for heart disease (2000 – 4000 mg to reduce triglycerides). The American Psychiatric Association recommends a minimum of 1000 mg EPA and DHA from fish oil for people with mental health concerns.
It is reported in the Commentary that the mean intake of EPA and DHA from diet in the US is 100 mg per day. Also reported, the mean intake of fish in the US is 2.92 ounces per week. There is wide gap between minimum recommended intake and actual consumption.
I am a registered dietitian (RD), and my professional license is maintained by The American Dietetic Association. I support the ‘food first’ concept, and recommend people eat a variety of healthful foods (note: chocolate in moderation is a healthful food). I also remember that a dietary supplement, by definition, is a supplement-to-the-diet.
We know Americans are under consuming a nutrient that is essential for good health. We are seeing the direct impact of under consumption of this nutrient (e.g. inflammation). There is a linear relationship between the decrease of omega-3s in our diet and higher prevalence in depression over the last 80 years.
Keep it simple: Choose health and greater longevity. Eat a varied diet, choose fresh fish when available, and supplement your diet to remove the gap.
Just one capsule of PharmaOmega Life provides your daily minimum (or 6-8 capsules of other products).
Omega-3 fats are essential to the diet because humans cannot make them and they are required for normal growth and development in humans (from conception to old age). We need them.
Although we do not have a US RDA at this time, most experts agree that adults need a minimum of 500 mg of EPA and DHA from fish oil for health maintenance, and more for therapeutic benefits (e.g. reducing triglycerides, relieving pain of arthritis). The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 1000 mg EPA and DHA from fish oil for individuals at risk for heart disease (2000 – 4000 mg to reduce triglycerides). The American Psychiatric Association recommends a minimum of 1000 mg EPA and DHA from fish oil for people with mental health concerns.
It is reported in the Commentary that the mean intake of EPA and DHA from diet in the US is 100 mg per day. Also reported, the mean intake of fish in the US is 2.92 ounces per week. There is wide gap between minimum recommended intake and actual consumption.
I am a registered dietitian (RD), and my professional license is maintained by The American Dietetic Association. I support the ‘food first’ concept, and recommend people eat a variety of healthful foods (note: chocolate in moderation is a healthful food). I also remember that a dietary supplement, by definition, is a supplement-to-the-diet.
We know Americans are under consuming a nutrient that is essential for good health. We are seeing the direct impact of under consumption of this nutrient (e.g. inflammation). There is a linear relationship between the decrease of omega-3s in our diet and higher prevalence in depression over the last 80 years.
Keep it simple: Choose health and greater longevity. Eat a varied diet, choose fresh fish when available, and supplement your diet to remove the gap.
Just one capsule of PharmaOmega Life provides your daily minimum (or 6-8 capsules of other products).
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Statin drugs approved for children as young as 8 years old
Children as young as 8 years old with high cholesterol can be prescribed statin medicines to lower cholesterol, according to the new policy of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;122/1/198
Typically these children are obese, and may have high blood pressure. We know medical professionals are struggling with how to manage the huge onslaught of childhood obesity. How does a doctor tell parents or their children that their child is fat, overweight, chubby, short-for-their-size? What word do you use that isn’t offensive?
That’s only the beginning. The greater challenge is: What is a doctor to do about it. So the doctor can counsel an overweight child, who more often than not has an overweight parent, to make lifestyle changes. “Exercise, eat right”. Maybe even quantify it, and suggest 30 minutes a day of activity and eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables. And the doctor becomes the trainer in lifestyle intervention; something that they themselves are not trained to do. What’s the follow-up? When will the doctor see the family again?
Well now doctors can give the health-challenged child and parents a ‘solution’. A prescription drug that is only presumed safe for children, and send them on their way. Yahoo! It gets the doctor off the hot seat, and takes the responsibility away from the parent or their child.
It does not help to prevent the problem from getting worse. Fat kids become obese adults. It does not empower the family. It does not affect the cause. We don’t even know if it will be a cure. A cure is unlikely, given the number of adults in the US on statin drugs, and our rate of death by heart disease.
We know diet and exercise make a difference. And diet and exercise can influence genetic expression. We are not helpless but we live like we are.
We live in a world where exercise and nutrition advice are gleaned from commercials, websites and grocery store ads. Where volume of cheap food is the norm. We’ve made it ‘fun’ to get fat.
Why aren’t we being taught and supported by the professionals (dietitians, health educators, trainers, etc) who are skilled and trained to deliver, monitor and manage individuals and families? What happened?
Moreover, what are you going to do about it?
Typically these children are obese, and may have high blood pressure. We know medical professionals are struggling with how to manage the huge onslaught of childhood obesity. How does a doctor tell parents or their children that their child is fat, overweight, chubby, short-for-their-size? What word do you use that isn’t offensive?
That’s only the beginning. The greater challenge is: What is a doctor to do about it. So the doctor can counsel an overweight child, who more often than not has an overweight parent, to make lifestyle changes. “Exercise, eat right”. Maybe even quantify it, and suggest 30 minutes a day of activity and eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables. And the doctor becomes the trainer in lifestyle intervention; something that they themselves are not trained to do. What’s the follow-up? When will the doctor see the family again?
Well now doctors can give the health-challenged child and parents a ‘solution’. A prescription drug that is only presumed safe for children, and send them on their way. Yahoo! It gets the doctor off the hot seat, and takes the responsibility away from the parent or their child.
It does not help to prevent the problem from getting worse. Fat kids become obese adults. It does not empower the family. It does not affect the cause. We don’t even know if it will be a cure. A cure is unlikely, given the number of adults in the US on statin drugs, and our rate of death by heart disease.
We know diet and exercise make a difference. And diet and exercise can influence genetic expression. We are not helpless but we live like we are.
We live in a world where exercise and nutrition advice are gleaned from commercials, websites and grocery store ads. Where volume of cheap food is the norm. We’ve made it ‘fun’ to get fat.
Why aren’t we being taught and supported by the professionals (dietitians, health educators, trainers, etc) who are skilled and trained to deliver, monitor and manage individuals and families? What happened?
Moreover, what are you going to do about it?
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