Q: I read that minerals are heat sensitive and can be lost during cooking? Is this true? Huma Bashir
A: Minerals are not as heat sensitive as phyto-nutrients and many vitamins are and can be lost during cooking. Research studies have found a reduction of many minerals -including magnesium, manganese, calcium, copper, and others from cooking. These losses can be minimal with reduced cooking time for some green leafy vegetables. The longer a food is exposed to heat, the greater the nutrient loss. Being submersed in hot water creates more mineral loss than steaming, if all other factors are equal. With short cooking times, nutrient losses are minimised and exposure is accompanied by other changes in the food that support health. These changes include improved digestibility, and the conversion of nutrients into forms that are more easily absorbed.
Nuts And Blood Pressure
Q: I have high blood pressure and I wanted to know whether it is safe to consume nuts for a person with high cholesterol and blood pressure? Please comment. Yaasir Khan
A: Research suggests that some high-fat foods like olive oils, for example, can be beneficial for people with high blood pressure. For example in olive oil, it's the polyphenols that help to relax the blood vessels through an increase in nitric oxide production. Fats contain the most calories of any nutrient, and high-fat diets are almost always high-calorie which is a risk factor for high blood pressure. However, some high-fat foods contain high quality of fats than others. Walnuts and flaxseeds are examples of high-fat foods that contain a significant amount of omega-3 fat, and this type of fat is clearly helpful for most persons in supporting their cardiovascular system. Although, it is important to make these foods part of a balanced meal plan.
Olives And Olive Oils
Q: Can you please tell me whether olives and olive oils contain carotenoids? Nousheen
A: Olives contain huge amounts of carotenoids; these carotenoids are naturally occurring, fat-soluble pigments that give many whole, natural foods their distinct yellow and orange colours. Because carotenoids are fat-soluble, they are carried along in olive oils during extraction. However, methods of extraction, temperatures used during extraction, and sequence of extraction can all make significant differences in the final carotenoid content of the oil. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is better able to maintain the original carotenoid content of the olives than other extractions. Olive oil may be able to help you absorb carotenoids from other foods as well.
Trans Fats
Q: I was confused when I read ‘zero grams of trans fat’ on a food label containing partially hydrogenated oils. Are partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats the same things? Khurram Siddiqui
A: Partially hydrogenated oil is not the same as trans fat. The term "partially hydrogenated" means that hydrogen gas has been bubbled up into an oil to increase its degree of saturation and shelf life. The process of hydrogenation causes several chemical changes in the oil. One of these changes (only one, but an important one) is the creation of trans fat. There is some naturally occurring trans fat in many foods-but not nearly as much as it is obtained from partially hydrogenated oils. Some of us get about 20 grams of trans fat per day solely from consumption of these oils. From natural foods, we would
only get a few grams. A food label can claim "zero grams of trans fat" even when there is partially hydrogenated oil in the product. Trans fats are harmful in large amounts, and processed products containing hydrogenated oils are not ones that I recommend consuming.
Grapeseed Or Flaxseed
Q: How are oils from flaxseed and grapeseed different nutritionally? Do they have different nutritional components? Bushra AzharA: Grapeseed and flaxseed oils differ nutritionally. Most people who include flaxseed oil in their diet select it for its omega-3 fatty acid content, and specifically its alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). These fatty acids are critical nutrients for virtually all physiological systems in the body and for healthy functioning of most cell membranes. This same delicate omega-3 fat content also means that flaxseed oil is never a good choice for cooking. By contrast, grapeseed oil is widely used in some countries as a cooking oil. Grapeseed oil is often valued for its taste since it can produce clean and light-tasting results even though it is a high-calorie, pure plant fat. A person would not supplement with grapeseed oil in order to boost his or her omega-3 status, since grapeseed oil contains virtually no ALA.
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