Culinary, cooking, food and restaurant

~ October 2009 No.228 ~

It seems like just about everything you buy these days has omega-3 in it. So what really is an omega-3?

Fat – like you see on the edge of a steak, or that accumulates around your waist – is made up of fatty acids. Fatty acids are molecules that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. One end of the fatty acid contains an acid group (-COOH) and the other end contains a methyl (-CH3) group. In between the acid group and the end methyl group, the carbon atoms can be joined by single or double bonds. If all the carbon bonds are single bonds, the fat is called saturated. Mono-unsaturates have one double bond. Poly-unsaturates have two or more double bonds.

The shorthand name for saturated fatty acids is straight forward. The number of carbon atoms in the molecule is indicated, followed by a colon and the number zero – no double bonds. For example palmitic acid is 16:0 (“sixteen zero”). There are 16 carbon atoms in palmitic acid, and no (zero) double bonds

For mono-unsaturated fatty acids, the number of carbon atoms in the molecule is again given, but the position of the one double bond also needs to be identified. Oleic acid is therefore referred to as 18:1?9 (“eighteen one omega 9”). There are 18 carbon atoms in the molecule; there is one double bond and it is located 9 carbon atoms from the methyl end of the molecule. In some fatty acids the double bond is located 6 carbons from the methyl group. These fatty acids are called ?6 (“omega six”) fatty acids. When the double bond is 3 carbon atoms from the methyl group, the fatty acid is an ?3 (omega three).

Some fatty acids contain more than one double bond. Linoleic acid has 18 carbons and 2 double bonds. The first double bond is 6 carbons from the methyl group and so is represented as 18:2 ?6 (“eighteen two omega six”).

Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA), 20:5 ?3 (“twenty with five omega three”) has twenty carbon atoms and 5 double bonds, the first coming three carbons from the methyl group. Docosahexanoic acid (DHA) is 22:6 ?3

?-linolenic acid (ALA) – 18:3 ?3, EPA, and DHA are the most common omega three fatty acids that are found in foods. EPA and DHA can only be found in fish and algae. Flax oil is the best source of ALA

CH₃-CH₂-CH=CH-CH₂……..COOH an ?3 fatty acid

CH₃-CH₂-CH₂-CH₂-CH₂-CH=CH-CH₂……..COOH an ?6 fatty acid

CH₃-CH₂-CH₂-CH₂-CH₂-CH₂-CH₂-CH₂-CH=CH-CH₂……..COOH an ?9 fatty acid§

1. Suggested reading
2. wikipedia¹.

Other articles on Omega 3
In the press articles on Omega 3²

~ November 2009 No.229 ~

It is commonly believed that spices were added to foods before refrigeration and other forms of preservation became common, as a way of masking the taste of foods that had started to spoil. Many voyages of discovery were undertaken to find sources of these valuable plants and herbs.

MedilinePlus⁴

Ginger [Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae)] is well known in many tropical countries, both for its taste enhancing properties and also as a traditional medicine. It is the ginger tuber that is used by cooks around the world to add that distinctive taste to food.

Ginger is a low-growing tropical plant which is easily grown indoors. A small piece of a mature ginger root can be used to start a new plant. Once it is placed in a pot with good potting soil, the pot should be kept warm and constantly moist during the growing season, since ginger naturally often grows in wet, almost marshy, conditions.

Traditionally ginger has been used to help relieve digestive upset/disturbances including lack of appetite, nausea, digestive spasms, indigestion, dyspepsia and flatulent colic (carminative) as well as an expectorant and anti-tussive to help relieve bronchitis as well as coughs and colds.

Ginger contains several nonvolatile pungent principles namely gingerols, shogaols, paradols and zingerone, which contribute to its taste and which account for many of its reported beneficial health effects. Studies conducted in cultured cells as well as in experimental animals revealed that these pungent phenolics found in ginger possess anticarcinogenic properties.

So, some spices not only make your food taste good, they also are good for your health.

Chemical Structure of Gingerol3D¹

1. Reference
2. Kundu JK, Na HK, Surh YJ. 2009. Ginger-derived phenolic substances with cancer preventive and therapeutic potential. Forum Nutr. 61:182-92².

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In the press articles on ginger³

~ December 2009 No.230 ~

There is a great deal of interest especially for women in increasing calcium intake as a way of preventing osteoporosis. Genetics and lack of physical activity are risk factors, and dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D are also important factors in the prevalence of this chronic disease that thins and weakens the bones in the body. Broken bones, particularly the pelvis and the long bones in the legs, are common in older women with osteoporosis.

Many foods are rich in calcium including dairy products – milk (skim milk, 1%, 2%, or whole milk), cheese, yogurt, kefir etc. However, these foods are often avoided because of their fat content, and concerns about lactose digestion. Some calcium-fortified soy beverages and orange juices, lentils and beans are also good sources of calcium. Because in some cases doctors are recommending calcium intakes that many people cannot achieve through changes in their diet, consumers are turning to calcium supplements.

Pure calcium (elemental symbol Ca) is a metal. Pure calcium is not absorbed by the body. The calcium we consume is in the form of a calcium salt – a molecule that contains one or more calcium atoms together with a carbohydrate. The common forms of calcium supplements are calcium carbonate – CaCO₃ ; calcium citrate – Ca₃(C₆H₅O₇)₂ ; calcium lactate – C₆H₁₀CaO₆ ; and calcium gluconate – C₁₂H₂₂CaO₁₄. Remembering some basic chemistry, it is easy to see that not all these sources of calcium contain the same amount of calcium. One molecule of calcium citrate provides three molecules of calcium, while the other sources provide only one molecule. But the molecular weight of calcium carbonate is less than calcium citrate. So… it gets complicated.

The easiest way to tell which calcium supplement is providing the amount of calcium you want, is to compare the amount of “elemental calcium” each pill or capsule provides. Read the label carefully.

It is now recommended that adults get 1000-1500 mg of elemental calcium a day. That’s quite a bit, especially if you do not eat a lot of dairy products. Calcium supplements come in various doses, and because the calcium is often a very small part of the chemical form that is in the supplement, some of the pills can be quite large.

The absorption of calcium is influenced by conditions within the lumen of the small intestine. The acid secreted in the stomach aids in the digestion of calcium, but calcium is absorbed primarily in the duodenum part of the small intestine. Vitamin D is needed to help the absorption of calcium through the intestinal wall. Low vitamin D levels can lead to insufficient calcium being absorbed, even if there is enough calcium in the diet. Many supplements contain both vitamin D and calcium.

A varied diet provides most of us with the types and amounts of nutrients we need to grow and be healthy. However, in some cases, taking a supplement can ensure we are getting adequate levels of specific nutrients.

1. More information of osteoporosis and calcium:
2. Osteoporosis Canada¹
3. International Osteoporosis Foundation²
4. University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension³

Other articles on Osteoporosis §

In the press articles on osteoporosis⁴

~ May 2010 No.231 ~

If you take two highly toxic chemical elements – sodium (chemical symbol Na) and chlorine (chemical symbol Cl) and combine them, you get NaCl, or common table salt. NaCl is something that we can’t live without. However, it seems that most of us are getting too much of this white powder. Campaigns to reduce the salt or the sodium in your diet are now becoming popular

Human blood has a salt content of about 0.9%. Although our bodies cannot function without salt, our daily requirement falls within a narrow range

It is the salt in your blood that helps control blood pressure. As the amount of sodium from salt in your blood increases, the blood volume increases because sodium attracts and retains water. Your heart then has to work harder to move the increased volume of blood through your blood vessels. This creates increased strain on the arteries and high blood pressure. There is mounting evidence that shows there is a direct relationship between excess salt in the diet and the incidence of heart disease and strokes.

It has been noted that the salt content of our foods has been increasing over the years. Many food manufacturers say they have added salt to their product to enhance the taste in response to consumer demands. However, some health and advocacy groups suggest that consumers have developed an unhealthy craving for the salt because of the unregulated addition of salt by so many food manufacturers.

According to some estimates, North American consumers are getting three to four times as much salt per day as they need; the average Canadian consumes about 3400 mg of Na /day in the form of NaCl. Even if you don’t have a salt shaker on your dinner table, you could be still be getting too much salt. Every food contains some salt. Salt is added to many processed foods for taste, and in some cases it serves as a preservative. Even foods that you would not expect to have salt in them can be major sources of salt. Bread, processed meats, processed vegetables and tomatoes and vegetable juices are the major sources of salt in our diets.

Checking the nutrition facts panel on most processed foods is a good place to start to see how much “hidden” salt you are eating. Food composition tables often provide sodium levels; so when checking composition tables or recommended daily intake statements it is necessary to understand whether the recommendation is for salt (sodium chloride) or for just sodium.

Today there are many types of salt being sold. The traditional white table salt is now competing with expensive sea salts that come in many colours. The colour of sea salt is due to minor impurities such as minerals, so the health concerns about table salt also apply to sea salt.

It is believed that reducing salt in the diet is the most cost effective way of reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease. Cutting down on salt is an easy way to improve your health.

1. Reference
2. Get excess salt out of our diet CMAJ¹.
3. Salt intake, stroke, and cardiovascular disease: meta-analysis of prospective studies BMJ².
4. Compelling Evidence for Public Health Action to Reduce Salt Intake NEJM³.

Other articles on salt §

~ June 2010 No.232 ~

Of the taste sensations that we experience – sour, salty, sweet, and bitter, sweet is perhaps the one that is associated most often with pleasure. Many of us have a “sweet tooth” that influences our food choices. But even our taste buds can be fooled.

Sucrose, or common table sugar, is the most familiar source of sweetness in our diet. Sucrose is in many recipes or lists of ingredients, or it can just be added at the table to foods or beverages. Sucrose that comes from sugar cane or sugar beet is called a disaccharide and is composed of two simple sugars – glucose and fructose. However, there are other compounds, not closely related to sucrose, that can also produce a sweet taste

One source of sweetness is the stevia plant. Stevia¹ (S. rebaudiana), is a South American plant that is a member of the Compositae family – the plant family that also includes sunflower. Stevia leaves can be extracted to produce, sweet crystalline diterpene glycosides called steviosides. Steviosides can be 200-300 times sweeter than sucrose, and in addition, steviosides have a caloric value of zero, making them very popular with dieters. Steviosides are non-fermentable, non-discolouring, maintain heat stability at 95 °C and have a long shelf life. Like traditional sugar, steviosides come in the form of a white powder that can easily be added to recipes or foods and beverages. Initial scientific studies have indicated that steviosides can regulate blood glucose levels, are safe for diabetics to consume, do not cause cancer, and can be used to lower hypertension.

The United States Food and Drug Administration have stated that they have no objections to a stevioside being used as a general purpose sweetener. In Canada stevia is an ingredient in several natural health products.

Chemical Structure of Stevioside

¹

1. A Scientific Review of Steviosides
2. Chatsudthipong V, Muanprasat C.(2009). Stevioside and related compounds: therapeutic benefits beyond sweetness. . Pharmacol Ther. Jan;121(1):41-54².
3. Stevia FAQ³.

Other articles on sugar §