By Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis Few foods have been at once maligned and acclaimed as much as coconut oil. Some view it as a notorious health villain, with an even greater concentration of saturated fat than butter or lard. It tops lists of “Foods to Avoid” in many heart-health programs. At the other end …
Redneck: The Word’s History in Nutrition By Vesanto Melina, MS, RD I was surprised to learn that the word “redneck” has a nutrition-related origin. More than a century ago, in the Deep South, several factors—poor diet and racial tensions–coincided. A typical diet for poor whites and for black slaves centered on corn, salt pork (fatty …
11/10/2017 +Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina Last month, we explored the cruelty and environmental damage inherent in commercial fishing. This month, we look at aquaculture. Today, approximately half the fish consumed are reared in crowded enclosures whether on land or in water. Globally, between 40-120 billion farmed fish are slaughtered for food each year. The goal in …
08/09/2017 +Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina Fish has long been viewed as an ideal protein source and the significant source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids such as DHA. Health authorities have sometimes advised people to consume at least two servings of fish per week. Globally, an estimated one trillion fish are caught each year, excluding illegal …
As you read this, a fatty acid called EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) is helping to regulate your blood pressure, immune system, heart health, and various organ systems throughout your body. A related substance, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is an important building block in your brain and eye, and is essential in helping you think and see. For …
February is heart month. Whereas past research focused on the amount of dietary fat as a trigger for cardiovascular disease, we now know that both quantity and qualityof fat impact our blood vessels. From “The New Becoming Vegetarian” (US title), “Becoming Vegetarian” (Canadian title), by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis, here are 6 steps to making the …
High fat? Low fat? No fat? What do we really need to know? For many of us, the message can be reduced to this simple sentence. There is just one type of fat that we need to add to our diets: the omega-3 fatty acids. There are two distinct families of polyunsaturated fats, omega-6 and …
Not long ago, fish was considered a health food. Yet in 2004, we are getting some mighty confusing advice. We are told by an expert on Canadian fish Dr. J. Sheeshka that people who are concerned about organochlorines can simply cut off and drain away as much fat as possible when cooking fish. She says …