When a prestigious medical journal recently published a meta-analysis of fish oil studies that determined that fish oil was NOT associated with a statistically significant reduction in risk of major cardiovascular events, it seemed to fly in the face of decades of research.

How could this be true? The heart health benefits of fish oil have been well documented since the 1970s.

We were curious about the contradiction in research so we sought out an explanation from one of the most well respected authorities on nutrition and functional foods—The Linus Pauling Institute (LPI).

Their explanation in an article published in the Journal of Lipid Research cleared things up nicely. In a nutshell, LPI professor Donald Jump says the evidence supporting the heart health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids is strong, despite ‘less conclusive’ recent studies. He makes several important points about the recent analysis.

Jump notes that the vast majority of studies included in the analysis were secondary prevention trials, meaning that the recruited subjects had pre-existing CVD or were at increased cardiovascular risk. Thus, supplementation with omega-3 PUFAs may not appear to support cardiovascular health in patients who have CVD and likely taking drug therapy (e.g., statins, aspirin, anti-hypertensive medications).

“When so many people in these studies are taking a regimen of medications to address the same issues that fish oil might also affect, it’s easy to understand why any added benefit from the fish oils is more difficult to detect,” Jump explained.

By contrast, many of the early studies were done before more modern drugs were available. “The studies done several decades ago showed value even for that patient population (those with CVD), but the more recent studies are less conclusive. We believe that one explanation is the effectiveness of current state-of-the-art treatments now being offered,” he added.

However, observational epidemiologic studies have consistently found that increased fish consumption or higher omega-3 PUFA blood levels are associated with a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular events in healthy adults.

Omega-3 Benefits

Beyond cardiovascular health, fish oils are important for visual and neurological development as well as supporting healthy inflammatory balance and cognitive function as we age. Omega-3 PUFAs can be obtained from both food and supplemental sources. If you do not regularly consume fish, the LPI recommends a two-gram fish oil supplement several times per week.

Sources:

Linus Pauling Institute

Journal of Lipid Research

NutraIngredients

In these tough economic times, recent news that meat and dairy prices are on the rise may seem like a dark cloud looming over your grocery budget. However, there is a silver lining in the forecast—the opportunity to load up on more veggies with meatless meals.  

Why Meatless?

Going meatless may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.

And since recent studies suggest that only 11% of us are getting the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, going meatless just makes good sense.

To help you incorporate more meatless meals in your household, the “Meatless Mondays” website is a great resource for recipes and tips. The site is sponsored by a non-profit initiative called The Monday Campaign in association with the Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health.

There’s a good reason why the organization selected Monday as the best day to make a lifestyle change. As they explain, “It’s the January of the week, the perfect time for a fresh start. People are more likely to begin exercising, start a diet or quit smoking on Monday than any other day. It’s a call to action built into every calendar – 52 chances a year to live a longer, healthier life!”

More Meatless Benefits

Going meatless will give you other opportunities to make healthy, environmentally-friendly food choices. For example, since you are upping your veggie intake, you may want to visit a farmer’s market for fresh, locally grown produce. As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, there are numerous benefits to shopping at farmers markets including fresh, better tasting produce, lower or competitive pricing, and supporting the local community.

Since this week is National Farmer’s Market Week, it’s the perfect time to explore your local market.  To find one near you, try searching these two nationwide databases:  Local Harvest or the USDA Farmers Market Search.

And finally, how you prepare produce can affect its nutritional value. For example, most vegetables retain more of their health benefits when they are eaten raw. We explore why a growing number of people are choosing a “raw food” diet with The Raw Food Revolution: The Benefits of Living Foods.

Sources:

HellaWella

Meatless Monday

Stroke is more common in older people, however a new study published in Neurology reports that consuming high levels of olive oil may help prevent a stroke by over 40 percent. The researchers also found that those with the highest levels of plasma oleic acid – a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid found at high levels in olive oil – had a 73 per cent reduction in the risk of stroke.

The study followed 7,625 people aged 65 and older with no history of stroke from three cities in France. The participants were categorized by olive oil consumption into one of three groups: ‘no use’, ‘moderate use’ such as using olive oil in cooking or as dressing or with bread, and ‘intensive use’, which included using olive oil for both cooking and as dressing or with bread.

After adjusting their findings for diet, physical activity, body mass index and other risk factors for stroke, the researchers found that those who regularly used olive oil for both cooking and as dressing had a 41 percent lower risk of stroke compared to those who never used olive oil in their diet. And, those with the highest plasma levels of oleic acid had a 73 percent reduction of stroke risk.

“Our research suggests that a new set of dietary recommendations should be issued to prevent stroke in people 65 and older,” said the study author Dr Cécilia Samieri, of University of Bordeaux and the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) in Bordeaux, France.  

Dr Sharlin Ahmed of the Stroke Association said, “Olive oil has long been known to have potential health benefits.  However, it's important to note that a person's risk of stroke would only be reduced through consuming olive oil as an alternative to other cooking fats and as part of a healthy balanced diet that is low in saturated fat and salt.”

Sources:

Nutraingredients