GoodnessDirect Blog – Health foods & healthy lifestyles for you & your planet

OK, so how many Omega 3 foods can you name?

Let’s have a go…oily fish, flax, (linseed), hemp seed oil… not easy is it?

The Western diet is associated with not only a high rate of breast cancer, but also heart disease, other cancers, arthritis and asthma as well. It has been found that our poor balance between Omega 6 and Omega 3 (roughly 10:1) heightens the risk of these diseases. But basically, the more equal the balance between these fatty acids, the less the risk (aim for 3:1).

It’s not as simple as making sure it says “omega-something” in the ingredients list. Check to see how much Omega 3 there is in comparison to Omega 6. Both are good for you, but you really need a roughly equal amount of both.

A typical Western diet is high in Omega 6 rich foods – these are meals made by industrial frying such as takeaways, ready meals and snack foods like crisps, chips, biscuits, ice-creams and, additionally, margarine. (Is this the right time to point out that alcohol also depletes Omega 3’s from the brain?)

But we don’t do nearly as well in consuming Omega 3 foods. How many could you name?

We tend to know that the best source of Omega 3 is oily fish like mackerel or sardines, but that’s about it. And what if you don’t like fish? The next best source (apart from supplements) is probably flax. One scientific group recently fed a fire-service crew on either fish oil or flax oil, and found out that 2.4g of flax oil daily was comparable to 1.2g of fish oil in terms of providing an optimal amount of Omega 3 to the body.

There had been worries that only oily fish could provide enough Omega 3 but research like the above is showing other Omega 3 foods like flax, organic milk, green leafy vegetables, walnuts and tofu can play a part too.

Flax (also known as linseed) is available as oil, seeds, ground powder or supplements, but it’s rich, nutty flavour means that it is used as an ingredient in many foods. Flax, which is high in fibre and folates, has had notable results in slowing cancer growth and reducing cholesterol, blood pressure and arthritis, and it is also very useful to dieters and for women going through the menopause. It brings out a noticeable sheen in your hair and health in your skin once you start using it.

Flax seed can be incorporated into most baking, cereals, soups and hot dishes, but if you’re looking for something to experiment with, try this almond and flax bread – it’s gluten free too.

Flax and Almond Bread
175g ground almonds
100g arrowroot powder
4 tablespoons flaxseed powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
4 eggs
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1. In a medium bowl, combine the ground almonds, arrowroot, flax powder, salt and bicarbonate of soda.
2. In a larger bowl, beat eggs for 3-5 minutes until frothy.
3. Stir agave and vinegar into eggs.
4. Mix dry ingredients into wet.
5. Pour mixture into a greased medium sized loaf tin.
6. Bake at 180 C or Gas mark 4 for 30-35 minutes. Test to see if it is ready by inserting a knife to see if it comes out clean.
7. Glaze the bread with some more agave nectar while it is still warm.

Alternatively, there’s a new gluten free bread made from flax which you might like to try…