Nexus - 0402 - New Times Magazine-pages

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dom' would predict the vegetarians to have the lower rate of heart ing process for vegetable oils. It begins with seeds that may con- disease, but, in fact, the opposite was true. The vegetarians had tain high levels of pesticides and herbicides. The seeds are 15 times the rate of heart disease when compared to their northern crushed and subjected to a series of chemical treatments at tem- counterparts! What was the reason for this surprising difference? peratures up to 520°F (271°C). These treatments include the use Aside from meat versus vegetables, the major dietary difference of toxic solvents, caustic soda, preservatives and defoamers, and was that the southerners had replaced their traditional ghee (a real they result in the destruction of essential fatty acids, loss of vita- food) with margarine and refined, polyunsaturated vegetable oils. mins and minerals, and the formation of trans- fatty acids and free Twenty years later, the British medical journal the Lancet noted radicals. This is exactly the opposite of what is desirable. It is all an increase in heart-attack deaths amongst the northern Indians." in the name of longer shelf-life and consumer acceptance (what's The northerners had also largely replaced the ghee in their diets left looks clean and pretty!). This also happens to the oils used in with margarine and refined vegetable oils. processed foods, which means most everything that comes in a One hundred years ago, heart disease was virtually unknown. can or a box. Remember to read those labels! Today, two-thirds of US citizens develop heart disease. According to Finnegan and Erasmus, the "cold-pressed" or Something has clearly gone wrong with the way we are living, "expeller-pressed" oils available at health food stores are no guar- and one of the main factors could indeed be antee of quality. Expeller-pressing still gen- the introduction of overrefined, over- erates temperatures up to 200°F (93.3°C), processed, devitalised oils. and most of these oils are then refined and Other studies support this idea. For deodorised using basically the same nutrient- instance, a study conducted at the Harvard . destroying process used in commercial 'gro- School of Public Health indicated that intake A Harvard Medical cery store' oils. of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils may School study followed Be wary of claims like "certified organic", contribute to the risk of heart attack. '' as there have been instances of fraudulent Research by Dr Siguel has also given more more than 85,000 women misrepresentation in this regard. Some com- weight to the theory that dietary trans- fatty over an eight-year period. panies have been caught lying about the acids are a risk factor for heart disease.'* source of their seeds and using regular com- A report by the Danish Nutrition Council mercial seeds instead of organic ones. There said that Studies susses! net the consump- They found that major have even been cases of compani¢ imply ion of trans- fatty acid from margarine is F rebottling regular oil or mayonnaise with a equally, or perhaps more, responsible dietary sources of trans- ‘health food' label and charging higher for the development of arteriosclerosis fats, such as margarine, Prices. ; than saturated fatty acids. They recom- «ngs Finnegan mentions two reputable mended reducing the trans- fatty acid were significantly certifying agencies: FVO (Farm content in all Danish margarine prod- associated with higher Verified Organic), and OCIA (Organic risks of coronary heart disease. ucts to 5 per cent or less (it was then 0 Crop Improvement Association). He to 30 per cent). reports that only two companies meet Another study done by the his criteria for production of healthful Department of Nutrition at the Harvard oils: Omega Nutrition in Ferndale, WA School of Public Health in Boston, (phone 1-800 661 3529), and Flora, analysed the diets of 239 patients Inc. in Lynden, WA (phone 1-800 446 admitted to Boston hospitals for their 2110 or (360) 354 2110). He also con- first heart attack, and compared them tacted one of the most well-known pro- with the diets of 282 healthy control ducers of ‘health food' oils in the subjects. After adjusting for several nation, but they declined to discuss lifestyle variables, they found that margarine intake was signifi- their oil processing methods and refused to allow him to visit their cantly associated with the risk of myocardial infarction."* facilities. A Harvard Medical School study followed more than 85,000 Note that light and oxygen, in addition to heat, also cause women over an eight-year period. The researchers compared the extensive damage to oils. According to Erasmus, light destroys diets of those who developed heart disease over that time with oil 1,000 times faster than does oxygen, so it is important to pur- those who did not. They found that major dietary sources of chase unrefined oils in black, lightproof bottles. Oxygen should trans- fats, such as margarine, were significantly associated with be removed from the bottle and replaced with an inert gas, such as higher risks of coronary heart disease.'® nitrogen or argon. Omega Nutrition packages its oils in this fash- ion. Flora's oils are bottled in dark glass, reducing the amount of PROBLEMS WITH COMMERCIAL PROCESSING light but not eliminating it. While considerably more expensive, Refined polyunsaturated vegetable oils have been very popular they should be worth the extra money, considering the facts pre- in the US since the anti-cholesterol fad began many years ago and sented in this article. fats, such as margarine, were significantly associated with higher risks of coronary heart disease. PROBLEMS WITH COMMERCIAL PROCESSING Refined polyunsaturated vegetable oils have been very popular in the US since the anti-cholesterol fad began many years ago and the medical profession began promoting their use. When properly prepared and utilised, some of these oils are healthful sources of EFAs. Unfortunately, the standard commercial refining process destroys the EFAs and creates high levels of trans- fatty acids, while removing important natural constituents and protective agents like minerals and vitamin E. In The Facts About Fats and Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill, John Finnegan and Udo Erasmus describe the usual commercial refin- EFA BALANCE AND OUR HEALTH The two groups of essential fatty acids—omega-3 and omega- 6—are named for their molecular configurations and where the first "unsaturated" bond occurs along the chain of carbon atoms. Omega-6 oils are found primarily in vegetables and seeds. They are converted to the El prostaglandins (mentioned earlier) via several chemical steps. Most people take in enough of these 42 - NEXUS i A Harvard Medical FEBRUARY - MARCH 1997