Because we’ve come to associate all fats with bad health, patients usually have a fit when I start cajoling them to eat more essential fats – they think they’re going to put on weight. But I’m not talking here about saturated fats in foods such as cheese, coconut, lard, suet, bacon and fatty meats. We all know they go straight to our thighs and are bad for our heart if eaten in excess. Hydrogenated fats such as margarines aren’t the right kind of fats either because they’re trans-fatty acids, which new studies have shown to be even worse for long-term health than saturated fats. I’m talking about essential fatty acids (EFAs) and, actually, you can’t possibly lose weight effectively without them because of their fantastic effect on your metabolism.
3 reasons why efas are not fattening
1. EFAs help you reach your ideal weight because they increase your metabolic rate and speed up the transfer of oxygen to the cells. Fuel is burnt more efficiently.
2. Your body needs every bit of these precious fats for all the jobs they do, so it’s hardly going to waste them and store them as fat – they’re far too valuable.
3. These oils are a bit like the doormen of the cells. They help to open the cells to let the sodium out – remember the electrolyte balance? So if you want your body to release toxicity that’s locked in the cells, and therefore some of the excess weight, you need the oils to open the gates.
And, more importantly, EFAs have such a dramatic and immediate impact on energy, stress and hormone levels that once you start taking them regularly you’ll never be without them again, you’ll feel so good. Our bodies cannot manufacture EFAs; we have to rely on our food to supply us with the right amounts. The two EFAs that our body needs to convert into something it can use are linoleic (Omega 6) and linolenic (Omega 3) acids. Generally, Omega 6 isn’t an EFA we are short of in our diet. We are, however, extremely short of Omega 3, so during the Plan we will make sure we’re boosting our intake of this useful fat.
more benefits of efas
Help foetal development: A foetus needs fatty acids for brain development, eye, cell, skin and joint health, and liver function. And it has been found that mothers who consume more oily fish or fish-oil capsules during pregnancy produce healthier, brighter children.
Brain health: EFAs, especially Omega 3, are essential for the brain, because nearly a quarter of the brain’s structure is made up of fatty acids. Having them in the body in the right quantities helps memory and concentration and reduces depression.
I believe that one cause of post-natal depression may be that the foetus takes much-needed Omega 3 for its own development out of the mother’s blood. If the mother isn’t eating enough Omega 3 to compensate for this, she may end up so deficient in EFAs in her own brain that she will suffer from depression.
EFAs have also been shown to help in the treatment of behavioural problems in children, including hyperactivity.
Help the central nervous system: EFAs are needed for healthy cell membranes, especially in the nerve cells.
Good for the heart and blood circulation: Omega 3 has been shown to lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and prevent hardening of the arteries. After a heart attack, eating oily fish three times a week halves the risk of having another attack.
Good for your skin, nails and hair: EFAs are natural moisturizers. Without them the cells are unable to hold on to water and the skin and scalp will become dry and flaky, and the nails brittle.
Boost immunity: EFAs strengthen the immunity by building up the good bacteria in the intestines and by giving the cells more energy to remove waste and fight viruses and harmful bacteria.
Reduce inflammation: Omega 3 helps produce anti-inflammatory chemicals (those useful prostaglandins).
Improve bowel and digestive functions: I have seen such success with patients suffering from all manner of bowel problems – from diverticulosis to constipation – that I just want to shout this one out from the rooftops! Plenty of Omega 3, in the form of linseed oil, really works.
Helps the hormonal balance: Linseeds (rich in Omega 3) are full of phytoestrogens, which mimic natural oestrogen and help level out the hormones. Evening primrose, blackcurrant-seed and starflower oil (rich in Omega 6), are also extremely helpful with balancing hormones, and especially with mitigating PMS symptoms such as lumpy breasts.
Help process and distribute fat-soluble vitamins: EFAs are vital if the fat-soluble vitamins – A, D, E and K -are to be taken up by the body. Vitamin E is used as an antioxidant, A (beta-carotene) promotes healthy eyes and membranes, D aids in calcium absorption and K is needed for blood-clotting and preventing bleeding.
Help you beat those winter blues! Omega 3 is known as ’antifreeze’ because it keeps the blood thin and circulating in cold weather. Enough Omega 3 in your diet will keep your hands and feet warm in the winter, and you won’t even notice the lack of sunlight, so you won’t fall prey to SAD.
As we’ve already noted, our modern diet deprives us of the right balance of the two EFAs. So let’s look at what we should be eating.
efa sources
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TYPE OF EFA |
SOURCES |
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Linoleic Acid (Omega 6) |
Nuts, Sunflower, Pumpkin & Sesame Seeds, Grains, Pulses, Vegetables and Fruit |
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converted in the body to |
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GLA |
Breast Milk, Spirulina, Evening Primrose Oil, Blackcurrant and Borage (Starflower) Seeds |
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Linolenic Acid (Omega 3) |
Linseeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Walnuts and Dark Green Vegetables |
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converted in the body to |
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EPA & DHA |
Cold-Water Oily Fish, such as Salmon, Sardines, Tuna, Mackerel and Herring |
(I won’t complicate things too much by explaining exactly what GLA, EPA and DHA are – but note that they are conversion products of Omega 3 and 6.)
For our body functions, we do need a steady intake of Omega 6. But today we consume far too much of this in relation to Omega 3, something like 20 times too much. The ideal ratio should be no less than 1 part Omega 6 to 1 part Omega 3, and no more than 5:1. But because our consumption of oily fish has declined by a staggering 80 per cent in the last 100 years, that ratio is all out of kilter. As you’ll be getting more than enough Omega 6 from the Plan’s suggestions, we’ll be concentrating this Weekend on the EFA that’s most lacking, Omega 3, in plant form.
omega 3
Omega 3 fatty acids help to produce a type of prostaglandin (3 series) which has been shown to:
Reduce the inflammation caused by arthritis.
Relax blood vessels.
Lower blood pressure.
Reduce the stickiness of blood.
Improve cholesterol levels.
Play an important role in hormone production.
Influence metabolism.
Affect nerve transmission and gut function.
The richest source of Omega 3 is found in linseeds (flaxseeds) and linseed (flaxseed) oil – and, no, I don’t mean the stuff your partner or dad puts on his cricket bat! Linseed oil is even more potent than fish oil (and it’s also a good source of Omega 6).
The other good source of Omega 3 is cold-water oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel. Fresh tuna is also an excellent source – but tinned won’t provide as much (unless you drizzle linseed oil over it!). Cod itself is low in EFAs, but cod-liver oil is one of the richest sources of Omega 3 – the trouble is, it’s also one of the most concentrated sources of any toxins that are in the fish livers. This is why I tend to encourage patients who can’t eat or don’t like fish itself or linseed oil to supplement their diets with fish oils (EPA – eicosapentaenoic acid) made from the bodies of oily fish rather than cod livers.
As you can see from the sources diagram, there is a difference in the way the body can absorb fish oils, compared to the way it uses linseeds and linseed oil. If you eat fish or take fish oils, you’re saving the body from having to do a conversion. For some this may be beneficial: babies can’t do the conversion, nor can the elderly or the very sick. So if you come into any of these categories, or are pregnant, fish oils in capsule form (EPA) will be better for you than linseed oil.
You might be sitting there thinking, Why bother with the linseed oil if I can get all the benefits from oily fish? To provide the required amount of Omega 3 you would need to eat a portion of salmon at least three times a week. And how many of us have either the time or the budget? Besides, many readers are vegetarians or vegans, who won’t even consider taking fish oil capsules.
More importantly, because the 48-Hour Plan is focusing on ‘plant’ food and cleansing, linseeds and linseed oil are top of the menu because they will give you a huge boost of the much-needed Omega 3 fats without contributing any acidity. I’m trying to make this plan as supplement-free as possible, and this is the quickest and simplest way of getting Omega 3 (and 6) in the right proportions into your body on a daily basis.
In case you’re still wondering whether EFAs are a good idea, look at the checklist below to see whether a significant number of these health problems apply to you.
symptoms of omega 3 & 6 deficiency checklist
· Dry Skin or other Skin Problems
· Poor Nails and Hair
· Low Metabolism
· Tired all the time
· Depression
· Post-Natal Depression
· Poor Memory
· High Blood Pressure
· High Cholesterol Levels
· Varicose Veins
· Arthritis
· Aching Joints
· Inflammation
· Infertility
· Hormone Fluctuation
· PMS
· Lumpy Breasts
· Water Retention
· Bowel Problems
· Gallstones
· Seasonal Affective Disorder – SAD
· Blood-Sugar Blues
efa daily regime for the plan
You’ll be starting the day off with a fabulous smoothie to get just the right amount of EFAs into your system. You’ll be using linseeds, linseed oil and lecithin granules in the following quantities:
1. linseeds/flaxseeds: 1 tablespoon
Whole linseeds are a rich source of fibre, minerals and protein as well as of essential fats. They are also full of phytoestrogens, which we know help with hormone levels. And, whether you’re constipated or not, they will really help drag those toxins out of your colon during the 48-Hour Plan.
Aim to have 1 tablespoon of soaked linseeds (flaxseeds) per day. Put a tablespoon of golden linseeds in a glass last thing the night before and, because they will swell quite a bit, add plenty of water to more than cover them. The seeds are full of zinc and vitamin E, as well as Omega 3, so none of that goodness is wasted if you use the water along with the seeds. In the morning the seeds will be soft and gelatinous, so they won’t rush through your intestines scraping them, but go through very slowly and gently, cleaning your colon like a broom.
One of my elderly clients had suffered from chronic constipation for five years and would be in such pain by the third day that she would be forced to use laxatives. After just four days of eating soaked linseeds, she started going to the loo, naturally, every morning for the first time in years. Another one had not had a regular bowel movement since giving up cigarettes. Her body missed the nicotine trigger! She too says the soaked linseeds changed her life – and her bowels – for ever.
2. linseed oil: 1–2 tablespoons
Make sure you buy a good-quality linseed oil that is cold-pressed and sold in a dark glass bottle. Oils oxidize very easily and can go rancid, so keep the bottle in the fridge. DO NOT HEAT UP THE OIL.
You may find linseed oil to be an acquired taste, or you may love it! If you hate it, don’t panic, because once it’s mixed with the rest of the smoothie ingredients, especially the lecithin granules, you won’t know it’s there. But if you like it, which I hope you will, you can also use it for salad dressings or drizzle it over your cooked meal once the food has been taken off the heat.
3. lecithin granules: 1 teaspoon – 1 tablespoon
Lecithin is a nutrient and an oil found in most living tissues – particularly in those covering the brain and nerve cells – and is therefore pretty important for your body’s health. Lecithin forms part of the cell membrane and plays an essential part in helping movement in and out of the cells.
Lecithin is very rich in Omega 6, which will balance the Omega 3 in the linseed oil, and is very useful for protecting and regenerating the liver. Because of its high vitamin B content, it’s also excellent for the brain, the memory and for hangovers! That should be enough of an incentive to add it to your smoothie!
Commercially, lecithin is extracted from eggs, soya beans or corn, so if you are a strict vegetarian check the ingredients to make sure of its source. You might also want to check that the soya isn’t genetically modified.
When you put the lecithin granules into the smoothie they emulsify the linseed oil so the whole thing turns into a creamy, milkshake-like drink with no trace of any oil. Start with a teaspoon of lecithin granules and build up to a tablespoon, if you like it and feel good on it. Some people need time for their livers to adjust, while others love it straight off. Just listen to your body and see how it reacts.
suzi’s smoothie recipe
Ingredients:
1 apple or pear
1 kiwi fruit
2–3 strawberries, plus a few blackberries, blueberries or raspberries – any berries, including frozen ones
1 teaspoon-1 tablespoon of lecithin granules
1–2 tablespoons of linseed oil
1 tablespoon of soaked linseeds with the water
1 handful of ground pumpkin and sunflower seeds
2–4 almonds
1 brazil nut
Cranberry, apple or any fruit juice if you need more liquid
1 tablespoon of aloe vera juice (optional)
Put these ingredients in the blender, whizz them up and drink! If the smoothie isn’t sweet enough, you might like to add acouple of dates, or a spoonful of honey. You may prefer to try other fruits but these work for me. I particularly like the berries because they make the smoothie taste like a creamy, berry milkshake – without the milk!
You’ll find this smoothie incredibly filling and it should keep you going for hours – perfect for a detoxing weekend, or a nutritious, energizing breakfast.