Tag Archives: nuts

What are omega essential fatty acids? Omega oils (3, 6 & 9) are polyunsaturated fatty acids considered essential because we must obtain them from our diet.  They play a vital role in the health of the membrane of every cell in our body and the fat helps protect us from a number of key health threats. However most Americans eat too many omega-6 fatty oils (in the form of refined canola, corn & soybean oil) and not enough omega-3 (found in salmon, kelp & flax). Consuming too many omega-6 refined oils and not enough omega-3 oils results in inflammation, the root cause of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.

What are the functions of Omega Fats?

• Energy production (vitality)
• Oxygen transfer
• Hemoglobin production (red blood cells)
• Membrane components
• Produce hormones (prostaglandins, exocrine and endocrine)
• Growth & healing enhancing
• Cell division
• Skin elasticity
• Anti-inflammatory
• Reduces platelet stickiness (too much causes clogging)
• Reduces blood pressure

Omega-3 fatty acids are commonly found in cold-water fish (sardines, anchovies, salmon, halibut and tuna), cod liver oil, kelp, flax seed meal, chia seeds, hemp, soybeans, collard greens and walnuts. There are three types of Omega-3 fatty acids that are important.

The body converts alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) into EPA and DHA. These fats can also be derived directly from certain foods, most notably cold-water fish including salmon, tuna, halibut, and herring. In addition, certain types of algae contain DHA. EPA is believed to play a role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, while DHA is the necessary for proper brain and nerve development.

Current research indicates that Americans are suffering from a widespread omega-3 fatty acids deficiency, including many pregnant women.  This deficiency is of particular concern because omega-3 fats are necessary for the complete development of the human brain during pregnancy and the first two years of life.  The Omega-3 fat is so essential to a child’s development that if a mother and infant are deficient in it, the child’s nervous system and immune system may never fully develop, and it can cause a lifetime of unexplained emotional, learning, and immune system disorders.

Omega-3 fats are anti-inflammatory; therefore deficiency symptoms mirror many chronic health conditions and autoimmune diseases, including celiac disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, IBD, lupus, and multiple sclerosis, heart disease, Hashimoto’s disease and cancer. Can an omega-3 deficiency increase your risk for autoimmune diseases? Possibly, since these healthy fats are protective against inflammation but too many American are omega-3 deficient.

Natural sources of omega-6 include many animal fats, heart healthy seeds and nuts: walnuts, almonds, sesames seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts and pecans. They are also abundant in unsaturated refined oils, including soybean, canola, safflower, cottonseeds, peanut and corn oil. Omega-6 fats play an important role in metabolic processes and there are 2 essential types of omega 6 oils:

1. Linolecic acid (LA): canola, corn, sunflower and cottonseed oils.

2. Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA): safflower, borage & hemp seed oil.

The body converts linoleic acid to GLA and arachidonic acid (AA).

Not all omega-6 fatty acids behave the same. Linoleic acid and arachidonic acid (AA) tend to be unhealthy because they promote inflammation. GLA, on the other hand, may actually reduce inflammation. Unfortunately, Americans eat too many refined vegetable oils containing linoleic acid (fried foods, corn chips, prepared salad dressings, baked goods, frozen processed foods and breakfast bars). Therefore, it is important to balance the ratio of omega 3 and omega 6 fats in your diet to control inflammation and cell membrane fluidity.

Why is the omega ratio of 6:3 so important? Too much inflammation disrupts metabolic processes and weakens the immune system. In addition, membrane fluidity affects the function of all enzymes, including those involved in nerve function, energy production, mineral absorption and utilization, and serotonin neurotransmitter levels (which affect mood).

What are the functions of Prostaglandins? When tissues are damaged, white blood cells flood to the site to try to minimize tissue destruction. Prostaglandins are produced as part of the inflammatory response to reduce pain and swelling. Prostaglandins are also involved in several other organs such as the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and hormone production in the pituitary gland.  Too many prostaglandins keep us in a perpetual state of chronic inflammation.

How Many Omegas to Eat Daily?

• Omega 6: 6 to 18 grams/day (1 tbsp)
• Omega 3: 3 to 9 grams/day (1-2 tsp)

Read labels- you will be amazed how many products contain omega-6 refined oils of canola, corn, soy and cottonseed. Remember, light, air and heat breakdown EFA’s and cause rancid oils, free radical chain reactions and hydrogenation, prematurely aging the body.

Top Vegan Food Sources of Omega-3 Oils:

Chia Seeds 2 tablespoons=4.9 grams

Flax Seeds 2 tablespoons= 3.5 grams

Walnuts 1/4 cup= 2.3 grams

Soybeans 1 cup= 1 gram

Winter Squash 1 cup= 0.3 grams

Raw Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 ounce= .2 grams

One of nature’s richest sources of essential fatty acids is found in raw nuts and seeds. Hail Merry® granola is loaded with Omega 3 raw flax seeds & raw walnuts and is also properly balanced with Omega 6 raw sunflower seeds to keep your womb engine humming.

For the Omega-3 Fatty Acid content of Selected Foods go to this excellent resource from Tufts University.

For more information about current research go to American Heart Association Scientific Statement on Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

"In general, mankind, since the improvement in cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires."  Benjamin Franklin

Going “Raw” is much like yoga, very inclusive, healthy and everybody’s well-being benefits.  Anybody can practice some form of yoga but it is the distance of the pose or the depth of the breathing that sets people apart- beginners may only go part of the way, advanced can go further. Eating raw is the same. Raw foods should be a focal point for all our meals and snacks; it is only the degree of raw that sets us apart.  In our Raw Food Basics Blog, we discussed the raw food groups, and offered several recipes to get you pointed in the raw direction. In our Raw Cashew Cream & Flour Blog we shared the basis of raw food desserts, dips and dairy substitutes.  Today we offer 5 ways to eat more raw foods on a daily basis.

1. Eat 1-2 cups of fresh fruit and/or vegetables in the morning- either whole, as a smoothie or freshly juiced.  Don’t worry if you don’t have time to juice in the morning- whip up this Healing Gut Tonic in the blender. You can vary the fruit & vegetable depending on what is fresh and in season.

2. Eat raw snacks of clean foods- grab a piece of fruit, cut up vegetables, guacamole with fresh jicama, Hail Merry raw nuts, seeds or Grawnola, or some coconut yogurt.

3. Eat raw salads for lunch or dinner- make sure they contain dark leafy greens such as spinach, arugula, and watercress because these greens contain rich sources of the essential minerals (calcium, iron and magnesium) and provide plant based protein. Also eat plenty of healthy raw fats such as avocado, olives, coconut, flaxseed, and hemp seed, to provide the essential fatty acids necessary for proper brain and nerve functioning, and for a feeling of satiety.  If you desire more protein, add slices of wild salmon sashimi to your salad.  Here is a Hail Merry favorite salad recipe: Angry Grapefruit Avocado Salad.

4. Serve 1-2 cups of shredded raw vegetables (such as red or green cabbage, zucchini, or carrots) with dinner.  If you are having pasta or rice, replace half or all the pasta with the shredded vegetables. If you are eating a meat-based meal, reduce the amount of animal and eat more plants. Asian food- try shredded Savoy cabbage for half the rice. Mexican food- add 1 cup of fresh vegetable sprouts like broccoli or mustard to your burrito.  Sandwiches- replace the bread with collard greens or romaine lettuce. Not only will you lose weight naturally (1 cup of cooked brown rice has about 216 calories versus 16 calories in 1 cup of shredded cabbage) but vegetables are more nutrient dense than most grains so you will be getting more minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals. Click here for a delicious raw, clean green pesto sauce that will become a family favorite in your house.

5. Replace roasted nut butters (such as peanut butter) with raw nut butters. Use as a spread on fresh apples or bread, as a basis for a dip, or to make raw nut milks as a heart healthy substitute for dairy. Raw nut butters have a higher concentration of enzymes needed for ideal digestion and absorption of nutrients than roasted nut butters.

For the last couple of weeks I have been discussing Cholesterol and the dangers of statins, cholesterol-lowering drugs.  In this final installment, I offer 6 types of foods that can lower cholesterol naturally and without the nasty side effects of drugs. Guess what? Four out of six of the foods are HEALTH FATS! Yes, you can and should eat fat to lower your cholesterol.  The trick is to know which fats are healthy.

The scientific proof that cholesterol causes heart disease and that dietary cholesterol (from saturated animal fats, eggs and certain seafood) raises serum cholesterol levels, have proven to be false yet when a person has a total cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL or higher, statins are often recommended. For many with high cholesterol due to an unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle, there are natural ways to lower your profile naturally without taking drugs. The two key ways are diet and exercise.

Being active is essential for good health and 30 minutes per day of moderate activity- walking, bike riding, yoga, weights, tennis, is recommended.  More on exercise another time- this article is about reducing cholesterol naturally by diet.

First- eliminate foods that are known to cause a rise in cholesterol. These are hydrogenated oils and highly refined vegetable oils, such as soybean, safflower and canola, found in many processed and fried foods, including chips, crackers, cookies, baked goods, pizza, cereals, breakfast bars, canned soups, and prepared salad dressings. It is the hydrogenation of these oils that makes them toxic to the human body. They belong to a class of ingredients known as metabolic disruptors. This is a class of ingredients that interferes with normal human metabolism and includes ingredients like sodium nitrite, MSG, and aspartame. Additionally, highly refined oils contain free radicals that cause inflammation, disease and premature aging.

Second- eat foods that improve cholesterol levels by reducing LDL and increasing HDL. Interestingly many of the foods that help reduce cholesterol are FATS- healthy fats found in salmon and cold water fish, nuts, avocados and raw plant oils such as olive oil and coconut oil.

1.  Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Salmon, flax, chia and hemp.  These fatty acids are so important to good health. For more information read past blogs Top Anti-Inflammatory Food  and Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
2. Monounsaturated Oils: This heart healthy fat is found in olive oil and avocado. And, avocadoes more than any other fruit, contain cholesterol-smashing, phytosterols, a beneficial plant-based lipid that reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed from food.
3. Nuts: Walnuts, almonds and other nuts can reduce blood cholesterol. Rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, walnuts also help keep blood vessels healthy. In a study, people who noshed on 1.5 ounces of whole raw walnuts 6 days a week for 1 month lowered their total cholesterol by 5.4% and LDL cholesterol by 9.3%. Almonds and cashews are other good options.
4. Lutein containing foods such as green leafy vegetables, egg yolks and animal fat. What- eat saturated fat? Lutein is synthesized only by plants and like other xanthophyll’s is found in high quantities in spinach and kale. Lutein is also found in egg yolks and animal fats. But wait- weren’t we told these foods raise cholesterol?  Lutein already has reputation for guarding against age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. Now research suggests that eating lutein-rich food daily also guards against heart attacks by helping artery walls "shrug off" cholesterol invaders that cause clogging.
5. Cocoa Powder: This powerful antioxidant helps increase HDL cholesterol levels. In a 2007 study, participants who were given cocoa powder had a 24% increase in HDL levels over 12 weeks, compared with a 5% increase in the control group.
6. Coconut oil: A Hail Merry favorite. In this study virgin coconut oil reduced total cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, LDL, and VLDL cholesterol levels and increased HDL cholesterol in serum and tissues.

Luckily, Hail Merry’s certified gluten-free, vegan snacks and desserts feature many of these plant based cholesterol lowering foods: flax, hemp, nuts, cocoa powder and coconut oil. Give the gift of health and indulgence this season to someone you love. Check out our holiday gift tins!

Health Benefits of Almonds in a Sweet Package

Why are raw nuts better than roasted nuts? Hail Merry® Vanilla Maple Almonds are raw, sweetly fresh, heart healthy and full of antioxidants and alkalizing minerals. In contrast, many roasted nuts are rancid which can cause premature aging.

Raw almonds are some of nature’s great super foods- full of heart healthy monounsaturated fat that can help you manage weight and blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, and regulate blood pressure. Almonds are also rich in many vitamins and minerals (magnesium, manganese, copper, and Vitamin E and B2) that help protect you against diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases. But quality raw nuts are hard to find. If you do choose to go with cooked nuts, you should really take a good look at the ones you’re buying. Have you ever purchased roasted nuts that have a bitter, unpleasant oily taste and a darker than normal color? If so, they are rancid because nut oils oxidize quickly when exposed to heat, light and air.

What is so bad about eating rancid nuts? Like oils damaged by exposure to high cooking temperatures, rancid oils contain free radicals that can cause cellular damage in your body. Free radicals are an atom or a group of atoms that can damage cells, proteins and DNA by altering their chemical structure. AND according to the National Cancer Institute, free radical damage may lead to premature aging and cancer.

Rancidity sets in before nuts smell or taste bad so your “I thought my nuts were healthy” snack may actually be making you ill and old, especially if you purchased them from a bulk bin. Nuts exposed to light and humidity have a shelf life less than 3 months. Refrigerated nuts have much longer shelf lives, upwards of 6 to 12 months.

In addition, when nuts are roasted at high temperatures toxic chemicals are formed that promote aging. Even worse, when nuts are roasted at high temperatures with canola, corn, soybean or sunflower oils, compounds are formed that may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer. Once absorbed in the body, these compounds react with DNA, RNA and proteins affecting basic cellular processes causing more free radical damage.

EAT RAW LOVE LONGER

Our Vanilla Maple Almonds are never roasted but dehydrated at low temps to protect healthy omegas and antioxidants. Nuts lose up to 15% of their healthy oils when roasted and roasting at high temperatures causes the formation of chemicals that promote aging. Our nuts protect against free radical damage.

Our Raw Nuts are soaked to activate the living enzymes which aid digestion. Our nuts smell sweet and nutty and are alive with flavor.

Our Raw Nuts Feed Your Body Royally! Enjoy a handful today and experience raw taste.