Fish for a Better Mood

It’s no surprise that the average Western diet contains an abundance of fat from butter, oils, and processed foods, but there is an essential fat that is lacking: omega-3 fatty acids. This fat is found primarily in flaxseeds, fish, walnuts, seeds, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and soybeans. In addition to not eating enough of this fat, we typically consume too much of omega-6 containing foods such as cooking oils and nuts that end up competing with omega-3 and inhibiting its benefits. This leads to inflammation and its related illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and arthritis. The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 should be 1:1, but the current consumption is somewhere between 14:1- 20:1

Omega-3 fatty acids are not only beneficial in treating diabetes, obesity, lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol, and decreasing heart disease, but they are also shown to have a positive effect on mood and depression.

Studies have researched countries with the highest levels of depression and found a common theme of a lack of omega-3 fatty acids consumption. One study compared different countries' consumption of fish and their incidence of seasonal affective disorder. The study suggested that countries that consumed a higher amount of fish, such as Iceland and Japan, had a much lower rate of seasonal affective disorder than countries with low fish consumption.

They also found that those with depressive symptoms or depressive disorders had significantly lower concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids and a higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids than the healthy reference subjects.

Similarly, other studies done on women with postpartum depression found their intakes of seafood during pregnancy to be much lower than those not experiencing postpartum depression.

This is most likely due to the fact that omega-3 as well as omega-6 fatty acids are essential components of cell membranes and the brain's growth and development. Our body’s can’t make them and rely on exogenous sources such as food and supplements.

Of course there are many factors that contribute to depression and I’m certainly not saying if you’re clinically depressed to switch out your meds for a filet of fish. But the all around benefits of consuming omega-3 fatty acids are worth the addition to the diet.

How to incorporate more omega-3 fatty acids in the diet

• Consume fish at least twice a week, especially fatty fish such as salmon and sardines but watch out for fish that is too high in mercury to avoid toxicity. Click on the FDA website for fish with the highest levels of mercury
• Add a tablespoon or two of ground flaxseed to smoothies, breads, baked goods, or oatmeal.
• Replace unhealthy snacks such as chips with walnuts and seeds

High Fructose Corn Syrup by Any Other Name- Still as Sweet

Because of the negative association made with the name high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), the Corn Refiners Association has been campaigning to change the image of this sweetener by changing the name to “corn sugar.” While there are a lot of studies that suggest HFCS does not have more of an impact on weight and metabolism than regular sugar, there are still some many concerns that should not be swept under the rug.

While the Corn Refiners Association attempt to dispel myths on www.sweetsurprise.com by quoting research studies showing no metabolic difference between HFCS and sugar, they fail to mention the studies that challenge those claims. Some studies have showed a link to HFCS and kidney damage, increased insulin resistance, and fatty liver.

Either way, research will always yield two sides of the story, especially when one side is funded by an invested party or parties. While there is a lot of unknown, let’s stick to what we do know, such as where HFCS is typically found. It’s not in your organic Kashi cereal or your dry roasted almonds. It’s found in sodas, cookies, cakes, dressings, sauces, and virtually any processed food.  I avoid HFCS not because I’m afraid of its direct effect on my weight and metabolism, but because the ingredient HFCS serves as a warning flag that this is a highly processed, most likely calorically dense, artificial and nutrient deficient food.

Let’s also not forget the copious amounts of corn consumed by our nation through our livestock in addition to our foods. Corn is cheap and farmers are subsidized by the government to grow it. The abundant amount of fields dedicated to growing corn affects the biodiversity of the soil, depleting it of nutrients and its arability and increases the need for toxic pesticides and fertilizers.

Of course, consuming sodas, cookies, cakes, etc. without HFCS will still have a negative effect on your health. But I rather not have the added negative effects associated with processed and sometimes genetically modified corn that can wreak havoc on our health as well as the environment.

So changing the name to corn sugar or not, it still carries the names of the two things we simply consume too much of.

The Truth About Açaí Berry

Whether it’s in an overpriced smoothie, energy drink, a cleanse or a fat-burning supplement, the açaí berry has undeservingly gained popularity from diet books as a “miracle cure” with claims of:

·         Weight loss

·         Anti-aging

·         Anti-heart disease, anti-cancer, and anti-arthritis properties

·         Improved digestion, sleep, and overall health

There are ads all over the internet with these claims and “free trials” that end up charging exorbitant fees after entering credit card information. So what exactly is this substance that has everyone in frenzy and shelling out wads of cash?

The açaí berry originates from Central and South Africa and contains important antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, and E, polyphenols, anthocyanins, as well as many nutrients such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, and thiamine. The truth is, while these nutrients are a vital part of our diet, they aren’t exclusive to the expensive berry.

Açaí berry is just another antioxidant, which helps eliminate free radicals, or toxins from our environment that contribute to diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and arthritis. Eating about 2 and a half cups each of fruits and vegetables should provide you with a cheaper source of antioxidants that will help stave off these diseases. As for the weight loss claims, there have been no real evidence to show that the açaí berry helps you lose weight.

If you like the taste of this berry, go ahead and enjoy, but keep in mind the limited amount of evidence that supports the claims.

If you’re on a budget but want to reap the benefits of antioxidants:

• Eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to maximize benefit or each unique nutrient
• Vitamins A rich foods- orange, red, deep-yellow and dark-leafy vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, winter squash and broccoli.
• Vitamin  C- think citrus such as oranges, lemon, grapefruit, tangerines, sweet peppers and even broccoli and potatoes
• Vitamin E rich foods- vegetable oils, whole grains, seeds, nuts and peanut butter.
• Consider a high quality multivitamin

Açaí berry is just another antioxidant with a really good publicist that played up its exoticism to appeal to the masses.

Is Your Juice Making You Gain Weight?

We’ve all heard about the evils of coke and other soft drinks and their damaging effects on our health. So you might opt for “healthier” alternatives such as fruit juices or Vitamin Water. In reality, the amount of sugar and calories in these beverages can be just as much as and higher than some soft drinks.


You may think that fruit juice has the similar benefits as the actual fruit, but in actuality these beverages may be causing as much weight gain as other drinks. You wouldn’t normally eat the amount of fruit, therefore sugar and calories, it takes to make that much juice. Even if you did, in fruit juices, the fruit is stripped of its fiber and the nutrients begin to deteriorate as soon as the fruit is cut open. Then, even more sugar and sometimes high fructose corn syrup is added. As for Vitamin Water, or really sugar water, the vitamins in it won’t even survive in your digestive system to reap any real benefit.

Even though it only has 13 grams of sugar and 50 calories in a serving, there are 2.5 servings or 32.5 grams of sugar and 125 calories in the container. A 12 oz. Coca-Cola can has 39 grams of sugar and 140 calories, which isn’t too far off of Vitamin Water. Though a Vitamin Water container is typically 20 oz., rarely does one stop drinking until they see the clear bottom of the bottle and all of the sugar and calories are consumed. Pay closer attention to orange juice, apple juice, and other fruit juices for the same trend.

There are diet versions of these beverages, but they are usually loaded with artificial sweeteners.

Better Alternatives:

• If you really like juice, try a homemade juicer
• Tea has several delicious flavors, including fruit, and lots of natural and beneficial protective ingredients.
• Try taking a high quality multi-vitamin capsule with regular water

Artificial Sweeteners Are Not So Sweet After All

There has been a lot of mixed and controversial research regarding artificial sweeteners and their effects on cancer, neurological disease, and metabolic syndrome. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) generally regards these products as safe, there are a few things to consider before tearing open a packet of pink, blue, and yellow.

The pink packet, typically known as Sweet N’ Low, is made from saccharin and was manufactured in Canada. After a researcher found that it caused cancer in rats, it was banned, but later allowed. Our underfunded and overextended Food and Drug Administration, on the other hand, required more evidence before banning this substance.

Moving forward with this trend, aspartame, the main ingredient in Equal and several diet sodas, was born. After some research, aspartame was also linked to health problems and neurological symptoms.

Refusing to give up on this idea, researchers found a way to change the chemical structure of sugar to make sucralose, also known as Splenda. They did this by adding chlorine! Doesn’t anyone else find this alarming?! After some studies, this product also caused adverse reactions in mice but the FDA did not feel there was conclusive evidence and therefore approved it.

To keep things in perspective, they usually do these studies with very high doses that would not typically be consumed by humans; however, it’s still a gamble I wouldn’t want to take.

What makes these substitutes desirable is being able to have sweet foods with zero calories per serving (see previous post No Such Thing as s Free Lunch), but something else is at cost. On top of the negative health effects, these sugar substitutes are 200-600 times sweeter than sugar. After consuming these products regularly in the form of sugar-free cookies, diet sodas, and adding them to coffee and tea, your taste becomes accustomed to this abnormal level of sweetness. This distorted sense of taste can increase your cravings for sweeter things. Though different people may find different experiences with this, I know that after coming off of artificial sweeteners, it was difficult for me not to pour an entire pound of sugar into my coffee. Eventually, your taste comes back and adjusts.

Diabetics are marketed these sugar substitutes because their lack of effect on raising blood sugar, yet so much of the non-diabetic population uses these substitutes either to control weight or for perceived health benefits. My advice would be to consume as little of these sugar substitutes as possible, especially if you are not diabetic. If you really want to benefit your body, stick to naturally sweet things in moderation to satisfy cravings, such as dark chocolate, fruit, and honey.

Better alternatives:

• Stevia- non-calorie sweetener marketed as a supplement rather than a sugar substitute. Comes from a plant in South America.
• Xylitol- low-calorie, natural, and non-toxic sugar alcohol
• Plain sugar in small quantities

Remember, our bodies are not artificial, so lets stop feeding them artificial ingredients.