Food For Thought...

Fat:

How Much Is Enough of a Good Thing?

• Just the other day, I was reading the label on a loaf of bread I bought and noticed it was fortified with omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat. You can now find eggs, cereal, waffles, milk, margarine spreads, and even orange juice fortified with omega-3s. But do you know what these fatty acids can do for you and how much you are supposed to consume?
• Researchers have identified a number of benefits from consuming omega-3 fatty acids:
• 1) Improving inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and asthma
• 2) Lowering blood pressure and triglycerides
• 3) Increasing HDL (good) cholesterol
• 4) Reducing depression, as well as the symptoms of bipolar disorder and Alzheimer's disease
• The American Heart Association recommends we consume the following amounts of omega-3s:
• For people without heart disease: At least two servings each week of a fatty fish such as salmon
• For people with heart disease: 1 gram each of DHA and EPA (types of omega-3s) daily
• For people with elevated triglycerides: 2 to 4 grams each of DHA and EPA daily, in capsule form
• This supplementation should be done under your doctor's supervision.
• Foods that naturally contain omega-3s include fish (salmon, tuna, white fish), flaxseed, walnuts, pinto beans, and broccoli, as well as canola, soybean, and flaxseed oils. To find out how much omega-3s are in some of the foods you eat, look up particular foods in:
• http://www.nutritiondata.com/foods-0.html
• Enjoy some of the really good fats — think about your intake of omega-3 fatty acids.
• From:http://health.yahoo.com/experts/nutrition/12067/fat-how-much-is-enough-of-a-good-thing/