Start where you are with Omega-3 rich foods

2/1/08 7 AM
Learn about Omega-3 fats by watching my concept pilot "Eat2Liv: Omega-3 fats"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErYx3XxxgXM

Start where you are…that is the theme for the day, for the week, actually, for life, and certainly for my book. In order to “dilute” you have to start where you are, dilute whatever concentrated aspects of life are overwhelming you. For me, I have always had a habit of eating “starchy carbs” in the morning and then not feeling great afterward. For most of my “younger” years those starchy carbs where processed cereals, which where then replaced with oatmeal in my body building years. Once I attended the holistic culinary school and learned how to make more “alternative” grains, I then switched to wheat berries which are simply the whole, unadulterated wheat grain. But I would always feel bloated and thought this was normal until I switched to Quinoa (keen-wah), one of my favorite alternative grains. But still, I feel a bit bloated when I start my day with even these ideal “starchy carbs”, so I’ve been wanting to start my day with a fresh vegetable juice but I have not made the financial commitment to invest in a juicer. I know I can get one for $100 or less but when I invest in one I want the best one. I want the ones that go for $300. I want a juicer that makes the most of the produce I put in it. I don’t want one that extracts only the juice and leaves the “pulp” behind. I still don’t know for sure which juicer is the best so I have not invested in one. Yet, I have this burning desire to start juicing. So what do I do? Well, as this piece is so aptly named, I should “start where I are (am)”. I have a blender which I use primarily to make my salad dressings and savory sauces, plus my favorite chocolate mint protein shake. I use to just add the fresh mint leaves to the shake but lately I have either gotten lazy or frugal or more health conscious but I feel that I should be using the stems as well. After all, in the macrobiotic philosophy they believe in using everything. Macrobiotics, literally means, long life. I believe that by using every aspect of that plant, that I am ensuring my own “long life”.

Since I use the whole mint leaves and stems in my protein shake and since I have been wanting to consume fresh vegetable juices, I thought, well, perhaps I can just use my blender as my juicer for now. Besides, I really just want to get more greens in my diet. If there is one food which deserves the award of the year, of a lifetime even, it is/are leafy green vegetables. The more I learn the more all signs point to the leafy greens. In fact, I love and respect them so much that I am having a personalized license plate made which will read EATGREN (eat greens or eat green) meaning eat more green vegetables and eat for a greener environment, as in, use everything, waste nothing. I have also been researching and shooting my pilot which is on the health benefits of omega-3 fats and I have recently learned how healthful and full of omega-3 fats are the leafy greens, especially those greens that can grow heartily even under cold conditions. These greens adapt to the cold weather just as fish adapt to cold water, by putting more omega-3’s into their cell membranes. These omega-3 rich cell membranes make their cells more pliable which is great for movement. The fish can swim more readily which helps them keep their body temperature up. These pliable cells also allow a very regular flux of nutrients to flow in and out which allows for optimal delivery of essential nutrients which converts to an increased metabolic rate, at least that is the case in fish, animals and people who have more omega-3 rich cell membranes. As for the plants, the theory is more speculative. Researchers believe that these omega-3 rich plants can adapt better to colder climates and climates with extreme sunlight. The omega-3’s are concentrated in the chloroplasts of the plants, where chlorophyll hangs out and works to convert the energy of the sun into usable energy for the growing plant and for the growing animals and people that consume them.

I have learned, through my research, that Romaine is a very good source of omega-3’s.When I went to the farmer’s market and talked to my favorite greens people, I also learned that romaine is a cold weather plant meaning that it does well in the cold and does not have to be protected from harsh climates. Those plants that adapt well, under extreme conditions, build up their own defenses which in turn protect you when you consume them. That is the job of an “anti-oxidant”, protection for the plant and the consumer. The philosophy of making things stronger under duress applies to people as well. I have to remind myself of that as I am once again let down by a man who I liked and as I try to find steady income. Yes, I know that these “hard times” only make me a stronger person in the end.

As for the greens and my goal to consume more and at least ensure my bodily strength, in line with those goals, I bought a bunch of romaine with the intention of incorporating it into a salad. But then I remembered this book I had about juicing greens. It is appropriately named, green for life. I love the name of this book because I too believe that consuming lots and lots of green vegetables is the key to a “long life”. In the back of the book there are recipes for juicing various fruits with various greens. There are not the typical carrot and beet juices which really do require a juicer, no, these are all juices based on greens as the base. I remembered seeing several recipes for romaine although, in the end, I just used my imagination and whatever I had on hand. I have some frozen blueberries, some ground flax seed and of course the romaine. So I took a big handful of romaine, about a cup or so, about a half cup of frozen blueberries, a heaping tablespoon of ground flax seed (which I store in my freezer because once it is ground it is very susceptible to rancidity), plus about 8 ounces of water. I put it all in my blender and blended away and voila, the first green smoothie I have ever made, finally. I didn’t need a juice after all. I kept waiting, thinking I would buy one but never making the financial commitment. For now, I don’t need it. As long as my blender blades are sharp, I am good to go with making my own green smoothies and protein shakes and dressings and savory sauces with one piece of equipment. Start where you are…everything you need is already within you, within your grasp, or at least within your kitchen. No need for major investments in fancy equipment. Blenders are not that expensive, $40-$60 for a new one but you could probably find a used one in a thrift store. I love to buy old kitchen equipment in thrift stores. Talk about eating green. Good for you, good for the environment too! And when the blade gets dull, you can find a knife sharpener to bring it back to life. Our local farmer’s market has a stand, a guy who sharpens pretty much anything for about $4. Totally worth it. You might only need it once a year.

Here is my Omega-3 rich Blue Green drink with a whopping day’s supply of Omega-3’s, 2g, which meet the recommendations for Alpha-Linolenic-Acid. To get the other Omega-3’s, the EPA & DHA, eat fish 4 ounces of fish 2-3 times per week.

Omega-3 Rich Blue Green Drink
In a blender add:
1 cup baby romaine leaves
½ cup frozen organic blueberries
1 Tablespoon ground flax seeds
8 ounces filtered water
Blend. Drink. Enjoy!

Per serving (~16 ounces)
Calories 95
Carbohydrates 14g
Fiber 6g
Protein 3g
Fat 4g
Omega-3 fats 2g
Omega-6 fats 0.5g

The current ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fats in the typical American diet is 15:1 but the ideal goal is 2 or 3:1. This recipe gives you a ratio of 1:4. Yes, it is a reverse increase, there is 4 times as much Omega-3 as there is Omega-6, which really turns the tables toward a more balanced life. The problem with the current excess of Omega-6’s is that these types of fats cause clotting and inflammation, both of which are necessary to protect the body, but detrimental in the long run because excessive clotting can cause a heart attack or stroke and chronic inflammation can lead to chronic disease such as heart disease. We need more Omega-3 fats to help the body achieve more of a balance. So drink up and enjoy the balanced way you will feel from the inside out!