Today I would like to show you some current news articles about healthy topics like Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids, the high antioxidant concentration of Black Rice, and a fun little slideshow about the Mediterranean Diet.
We just can’t take old news for granted, because studies are confirming and rejecting some of what we think we know. Myths are created and dispelled on a daily basis. Check it out.
Black Rice – The Latest Antioxidant Superfood!
Looking to live a healthier lifestyle by eating healthier foods? Antioxidants are an important part of healthy living, and Project Swole readers know that blueberries, pomegranates, and acai berries are 3 of the highest antioxidant-containing foods on the planet.
However, Project Swole readers might not know that black rice has more antioxidants than blueberries. A spoonful of black rice bran contains more antioxidants than a spoonful of blueberries, but with less sugar, more fiber, and a higher concentration of vitamin E. For you thrifty shoppers, black rice also costs far less than any of the high antioxidant fruits mentioned earlier.
Read more about it here: Black Rice: Low-Cost Grain Packs Bigger Antioxidant Punch than Blueberries
The Benefits of Omega-3 Fortified Margarine
In less important news, health experts are telling us not to count on Omega-3 fortified margarine to keep us healthy and protect us from heart attacks. Omega-3s are great for you, and you should definitely add fish or flax oil to your diet, but the dosage in margarine is just not enough to single-handedly help you avoid heart trouble.
This news comes from 3 year experiment involving heart attack victims. Some patients received the healthy margarine, while others used a placebo. There was absolutely no link between eating the Omega margarine and avoiding a second cardiovascular attack such as another heart attack or stroke.
Dr. Carl Lavie, the medical director of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Prevention at John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute said:
“I recommend that all of my cardiac patients [with] significant coronary artery disease take EPA/DHA at a dose of 800-1000 [mg] per day. To get this dose, most require a supplement, either one, two or three capsules of an over the counter supplement depending on the concentration.”
Sounds like the dosage of Omega-3 in fortified margarine is too low to make an impact.
Whole Foods Better Than Supplements
Interestingly, based on years and years of this type of research, experts can’t conclusively determine that supplementing with Omega-3s gives you the same benefits as eating a diet high in fish, especially salmon. However, studies have repeatedly shown that a diet high in fish substantially reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease, more so than does supplementing with the same isolated nutrients.
I can’t stress this point enough: it is always better to get your nutrition from whole foods than from supplements. Supplements are a great alternative in most cases, but it seems that when we eat real food, the nutrients we seek are better assimilated than when we just pop pills.
Read more about it here: Omega-Enhanced Margarines a Heart-Saver?
The Mediterranean Diet
Finally, here is a slideshow talking about the Mediterranean Diet, which is a great diet to stay healthy and lose some nasty bodyfat.