It's OK to Sauté That
Filet
By Maryan Pelland
Now
appearing on talk show host Laura Lewis’s Web Zine,
http://www.lauralewis.com/article_0301d.htm
Maryan Pelland is a freelance writer/photographer/editor and Web expert
specializing in features on babyboomers, women, the internet, parenting,
health, and humor.
To be heart healthy, you don't have to resign yourself to fat-free eating.
Sauté your salmon in some olive or coconut oil. Savor a small handful
of peanuts. Truth is, knowledgeable physicians and dieticians see interesting
side benefits from moderating your consumption of fats, and being choosy about
which ones you eat.
Penny M. Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., R.D., of the American
Heart Association Nutrition Committee, says, "...Studies associate
a Mediterranean-style diet with lower risk of heart disease. These diets are
rich in monounsaturated fats, primarily olive oil. Other good sources are peanuts
and other nuts, avocados, and olives."
Such fats, rich in heart-healthy oleic acid and plant sterols, scrub away harmful
LDL cholesterol. Olive or coconut oils, avocados, some nuts and nut butters,
and similar monos actually increase levels of HDL, good cholesterol. Experts
say they make blood platelets (the things that form blood clots) less sticky
- less likely to create problems. That being the case, your risk of cardio/vascular
disease goes down. Ok, we know that.
The punch line, surprising information from research, is that monounsaturated
oils, may provide health perks beyond making our tickers "well oiled" machines.
Coenzyme Q10 and vitamin E are abundant in these foods. Co Q10, discovered
in 1978, won its discoverer the Nobel Prize in chemistry. It is being studied,
results are by no means conclusive, but Co Q10 may have an impact on heart
disease. Some believe it can minimize side effects of chemotherapy. It's even
said that daily doses may reduce or wipe out periodontal disease.
But the main group of studies over the past ten years says Co Q10 and vitamin
E are essential to the health of every cell in our bodies. "Coenzyme Q10
is a vitamin-like substance that functions as an antioxidant, preventing free-radical
damage at the cellular level," says Diane Schilling of womensmedia.com.
Vitamin E, especially combined with vitamin C has the same effect, to a lesser
degree.
Research indicates that Co Q10 may help allergies, asthma, lowered immunity,
obesity and promoting overall healthy tissues. Blood testing for Co Q10 turns
up a deficiency in 50% of obese people. These foods are additional sources:
beef, pork, organ meats, eggs, wheat germ, spinach and broccoli. Fairly expensive
Co Q10 supplements are available, derived from an algae harvested in Japan.
But interestingly, treatment with supplements is less successful than working
with dietary changes. However, if you are interested, more and more stores
that sell nutritional supplements are carrying Co Q10. Experts encourage talking
with your doctor before using them.
So maybe it's time to rethink fat-free. Experts say fat should be eaten in
conjunction with other foods, as a sort of condiment. Select foods with monounsaturated
fats - use peanut or cashew butter instead of cream cheese on your bagel, for
example. Be moderate, even good fat has a fairly high calorie count. Hold your
fat intake to no more than 30% of your calories, and then you can enjoy the
sizzle of that salmon in coconut oil.