Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 10 years or so, you’ve heard many times about the importance of Omega-3 fatty acids for health. You’ve heard it hundreds of times that you must eat fish (and/or ingest fish oil) in order to get your omega 3s.
Before I address that issue, I believe some explanation is in order to make sure you understand what is what. It’s going to be a bit technical, but it will help you understand what you need to do to stay healthy.
What are Omega-3 & Omega-6 Fats?
Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are a type of fat that your body needs but cannot make on its own and, therefore, it must be obtained from food. This makes these fats “essential”–a mandatory nutrient that we need to consume daily. To get these fats, you need to eat certain foods rich in Omega-3s and Omega-6s.
Benefits of Omega 3-s
The reason these fats are so indispensable is because they’re responsible for making our nervous systems function correctly. They allow our bodies to grow normally, repair wounds, prevent skin disorders, maintain proper vision, ideal cognitive function, and optimal fertility.
Basically, without these fats, your body wouldn’t function properly and you’d have more issues than you’d like to even think about.
To get these fats, you need to eat certain foods rich in omega-3s. Unfortunately, there are few foods in our food supply that contain these beneficial fats.
The Omega-3 Fat Family
There are two critical omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid, called EPA and docosahexaenoic or DHA), that the body needs. EPA and DHA are the building blocks for hormones that control immune function, blood clotting, and cell growth as well as components of cell membranes. Plant sources, such as walnuts and flaxseeds contain a precursor omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid called ALA) that the body converts to EPA and DHA.
Along with omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function, as well as normal growth and development. Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), they help stimulate skin and hair growth, maintain bone health, regulate metabolism, and maintain the reproductive system.
“The Truth About Eating Fish Or What Your Doctor Never Told You About Fish & Fish Oil Supplements. Fish Are Friends Not Food”
Coming soon to Amazon Kindle.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!
I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!
(Guest Post) Included in this blog post are two different recipes: One is for a Sweet Kale smoothie and the other is a Simple Green Carrot smoothie. Enjoy and leave a comment below!
Packed with nutritious and delicious food, the Sweet Kale smoothie is a great way to either start or end the day. And with coconut water as the main ingredient, it will instantly rejuvenate your tired, electrolyte-deprived muscles.
Recipe
Ingredients:
Coconut Water – 1 cup
Banana – 1 small
Avocado – 1/4 cup
Kale – 2 cups
Ice – 1/2 cup
The Sweet Kale smoothie has a total of 283 calories.
Comments and Suggestions:
If you desire more sweetness, be sure to add stevia or coconut palm sugar. If the smoothie ends up a touch grainy, add more avocado until it reaches the desired consistency. For green smoothie newbies, start with 1 cup of kale and tinker from there.
Nutrition Data: Macronutrients
- Carbohydrate: 51 grams
- Fiber: 8 grams
- Sugar: 22 grams
- Protein: 4 grams
- Fat: 9 grams
Nutrition Data: Vitamins & Minerals
- Nutrient %DV
- Vitamin A: 166
- Vitamin C: 129
- Vitamin K: 557
- Riboflavin: 25
- Vitamin B6: 39
- Folate: 24
- Magnesium: 36
- Potassium: 53
- Copper: 24
- Manganese: 66
—
The second recipe, the Simple Green Carrot Smoothie, is a fun twist on a simple carrot juice recipe.
Recipe
Ingredients:
Carrot Juice – 1/4 cup
Ice – 1/4 cup
Avocado – 2.5 TBSP
Spinach – 2 cups
Comments & Suggestions:
This smoothie is not sweet in the slightest. If you desire sweetness, be sure to add stevia or fruit for added sweetness. Remember, spinach is one of the most mild greens, so add more if your budget allows! Also, cooked carrots are a good substitute for carrot juice if you can’t find any.
Nutrition Data: Macronutrients
- Carbohydrate: 16 grams
- Fiber: 5 grams
- Sugar: 5 grams
- Protein: 4 grams
- Fat: 6 grams
Nutrition Data: Vitamins & Minerals
- Vitamin A: 546
- Vitamin C: 50
- Vitamin K: 394
- Riboflavin: 14
- Vitamin B6: 24
- Folate: 39
- Iron: 13
- Magnesium: 19
- Potassium: 24
- Manganese: 37
–This article is provided to you from Paul Austin, the author of a blog dedicated to health and fitness on the road entitled Travel ‘n’ Wellness. Be sure to check it out!
(Guest Post) For some parents it’s a nightmare to get their kids to eat vegetables. When my daughter came along, I realized for the first time just how much of a pain I must have been to my blessed mother with my instant rejection of anything that remotely resembled any form of vegetables. However, my trick of coaxing my daughter to suspend the vendetta against vegetables became much easier when I discovered this recipe.
In fact, she ended up liking it so much that I made it conditional for her to have some vegetables twice a week if she wanted this soup on weekends. The arrangement has been happily working so far with no complaints on either side. I hope you will achieve similar or better success with this dish!
Now, whenever we talk of vegetable soup, the first thing that comes to mind are broccoli soup and tomato soup, but they tend to taste quite insipid to taste buds habituated in having them with a generous dose of butter and cream. A truly healthy easy vegetable soup recipe must try to replace those ingredients with healthier options. That is why at Recipezi.com we have tried to present you with an easy vegetable soup recipe that is filled to the brim with nutritious vegetables that supplies you with that much needed daily dosage of fiber and proteins. Besides they are super tasty and will make you forget your craving for meat in no time!
So without further ado, here is your easy vegetable soup recipe!
Ingredients
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
3 finely chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup florets of cauliflower
3 finely chopped green chillies
1/2 cup potatoes diced
1/2 tbsp mustard seeds
White oil
2 finely chopped garlic cloves
bits of asafoetida
Procedure
- Stew the carrots, potato, tomatoes cauliflower and garlic enough to make them a little softened. Set aside.
- Once it has cooled down, transfer the entire contents to the mixer and blend them till they are smoothened out.
- Take a medium sized pan and add oil.
- Once it has warmed up a little, add in mustard and cumin seeds.
- Once the seeds start to make crackling sounds, add the asafoetida and saute for 8-10 seconds.
- Now add in everything else. That would include the green chillies, vegetable mixture etc. Add salt to taste and keep stirring.
- Let the vegetable soup boil for a few minutes.
- Serve the soup hot with bread or add in a dollop of cashew cream if you want. Keep an eye on the calorie counter though!
We hear it all the time, from doctors, dieticians, fitness trainers, and our mothers: we must eat fish to thrive and be healthy. For their fats (omega 3s), vitamin D, and protein. Even people who consider themselves vegetarians, often admit that they eat fish.
There is so much propaganda and misinformation surrounding the eating of fish and seafood that most people fail to realize that we have been talked into consuming a food that is really not good for us (or for the environment; and especially for the fish and other sea life, for that matter).
But let me explain…
Read the entire book: The Truth About Eating Fish and Fish Oil
Coming soon to Amazon Kindle!
Now, you may be rolling your eyes at another “truth” being exposed, but I challenge you to read my book about eating fish and fish supplements and tell me you did not learn something new.
Read the entire book – coming soon to Amazon Kindle: The Truth About Eating Fish and Fish Oil
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!
I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!
“Exposed: The Truth About Eating Fish Or What Your Doctor Never Told You About Fish & Fish Oil Supplements. Fish Are Friends Not Food”
Coming soon to Amazon Kindle!
What you’ll read about:
Fish is a health food: fact or fiction? 5
What are Omega-3 & Omega-6 Fats?
What are the best sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids?
Do you need Omega-3 supplements?
What to do to prevent a deficiency?
Omega-3 recommendations
The Environmental Impact of eating Fish
Problems with Fishing Industry
Is “Sustainable Fishing” an Answer?
Plus, visit this post for fabulous fish-friendly recipes entitled “Great Recipes For Fish Friendly Food.”
“The average American eats 16 pounds of fish per year but the 2010 USDA Guidelines recommends doubling the amount of seafood we eat because of “health benefits”. Health benefits to us? To our planet? To the fishing industry? Our country consumed 5 billion pounds of seafood in 2010. Perhaps it would make sense for the USDA to inform consumers of all the health benefits of eating plant based foods, the many and significant advantages these foods have over eating fish, and emphasize the continued global depletion that occurs with every bite of fish that we take. It also, then, would make sense for all influential organizations and our media to spend at least the same amount of time disseminating the reality of the negative effects of our choice to eat fish as is spent on them being a source of omega 3s. Everyone needs to know the full impact eating fish has on the health of our planet and on our own health. It is time to become aware. Instead of mass producing, harvesting, catching, killing and eating fish—just let them live.” Dr. Richard Oppenlander
Read the entire book: The Truth About Eating Fish and Fish Oil
Coming soon to Amazon Kindle!
