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 The Edible Schoolyard Continues to Grow Nov/Dec 2004 High Fructose Nation Sept/Oct 2004 Viva Las Vegas! July/August 2004 Experiments Vs Experience V.1 - A Review March/April 2004 A Day in the Life Jan/Feb 2004 The Skinny on Dietary Fats Jan/Feb 2004 The Basics of Eating Right April 2003 Vegetarian Bodybuilding Jan/Feb 2003 Fitness Water: Fountain of Youth? Nov/Dec 2002 Glutamine: Conditionally Essential? Jan/Feb 2003 Thermogenic Aids March 2003 Flaxing Your Muscles August 2003 |
 By Kristin Reisinger, MS RD Most people are fed the notion that in order to lose fat, you have to give up fat in the diet. This is a large misconception. There are "good" fats and there "bad" fats and those of us involved in fitness and bodybuilding are aware that we need "some fat in the diet" and "some fats are good for you." We've heard the terms essential fatty acids (EFA's) and we've been told to try and incorporate fish into our diets at least three times per week. We also know to keep our saturated fat to a minimum. What does this all mean? Which fats are the essential fatty acids, why do we need them and how much should we be taking in? Also, which fats should we be avoiding and what foods are they present in? EFA's are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) that are also essential nutrients. This means that they cannot be manufactured in the body and, therefore, must be obtained through the diet. They are the starting point, or the mortar and brick, for manufacturing all other fatty acids and hormone precursors necessary to support and build strong lean muscle while increasing stamina required for fitness and bodybuilding. They are considered the "good" fat that are also key components of many other physiological processes in the body. Two EFA's have been identified including linoleic acid, LA (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid, ALA (omega-3). Two other omega-3's which are not considered essential because they are metabolic derivatives of ALA are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and the non-essential metabolic derivatives of LA include gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and arachidonic acid (AA). ALA and LA can be found in a variety of foods. Omega-3's are commonly found in many types of fish (salmon, tuna, halibut, trout, shrimp and crab) and omega-6's are mainly found in many types of vegetable oils (canola, sunflower, safflower corn, soy and peanut), other soy foods, walnuts and leafy greens. The recommendation for omega-3's is currently 1.3% of dietary energy intake based on a 2000 kcal which amounts to almost 3g/day. This does not take into consideration the active lifestyle of the bodybuilder, though. Those of us keeping dietary fats to a minimum might experiment more with quantities of EFA's depending on how much fat you allow yourself in your diet. For example, suppose you are on a 3000 kcal program with 20% of your calories from fat. This results in 600 calories from fat, or 66g allocated to dietary fat primarily in the form of EFA's. That's a lot of salmon and tuna! In these cases it almost impossible to not consider EFA supplementation if you want to achieve optimal performance. To give an idea of how much is in the foods we eat, one 6.5 oz can of tuna fish contains approximately .5g of omega-3's and 3 oz of smoked salmon contains about the same. Thus, the current consumption of EFA's, primarily ALA, in the American diet is actually very low. It is also easy to assume that during cutting up phases of bodybuilding one might not be getting enough EFA's due to a low-energy diet with a reduced dietary fat content. This holds true for many women in the field, too, because of their prevalence of long-term, energy-restricted diets. Hence, the need for EFA supplementation has become a hot market in the sports supplement field and is a necessity for optimal results in bodybuilding and fitness. One source of ALA which is the most abundant in omega-3's and is also in the spotlight of "good" fats is flax seed oil. It has the highest ratio of omega3:omega 6 than any other source as well as a high amount of fiber, lignans (phytoestrogens being researched for their anticarcinogenic qualities), vitamins and minerals. It has the highest content of PUFA's with minimal amounts of saturated fatty acids (SFA), also known as the "bad" fat. SFA's are the fats most abundant in butter, milk, cheese, beef and coconut oil and happily get converted to stored bodyfat without many of the other bells and whistles of the PUFA family. ALA is also the precursor for other types of omega-3's including DHA and EPA as well as hormone-like substances in the body called eicosanoids which have a lot of benefits for the bodybuilder. Eicosanoids include prostaglandins (naturally produced anti-inflammatory agents in the body) as well as other substances which aid in blood clotting, blood pressure, vascular dilatation, heart rate, immune response and the production of cell membranes. It is also believed that when there is a lack of omega-3's in the diet (as we are currently seeing a prevalence of in the American diet), these processes are unable to perform optimally. Also, a lack of substrate for the production of cell membranes transpires, fat cell membranes in particular, making it difficult to release adipose from tissue. This is partially the reason why EFA's can potentially aid in fat loss. Other health benefits of EFA's supported by research include:
As you can see, there's no real reason to not give flax a try. It is an excellent source of the "good" fat that we so readily hear that we need. It has multiple benefits all aiding in the bodybuilding lifestyle as well as overall health and wellness. Flax seed oil can be incorporated into any diet by mixing into shakes, topping salads, mixing in with your tuna fish, adding to soup or sprucing up any old, boring recipe you might be cooking up in order to maximize muscle gains. Get ready to flax your muscles! Tomato-Basil Flax Dressing Ingredients 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 3-5 cloves garlic 3 Tbsp. fresh basil (or 1 Tbsp. dried) 1-2 Tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 tsp. tamari or soy sauce 1/2 tsp. oregano 1/2 tsp. tarragon 1/2 tsp. maple syrup 6 drops Tabasco sauce 3/4 cup flax seed oil Yields 1 cup. Directions 1. Soak sun-dried tomatoes in 1/4 cup hot water for 1 hour then drain. 2. In food processor or blender, combine vinegar, garlic, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, mustard, tamari, oregano, tarragon, maple syrup and Tabasco sauce. 3. Blend until smooth. 4. Just before finishing the blending, slowly add the oil in a steady continuous stream. 5. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator to protect the EFA's in the flaxseed oil. Flax Hummus 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans, drained 2-4 tbsp. Flax Seed Oil 1/3 cup lemon juice 2 cloves garlic, crushed Salt to taste cayenne pepper to taste 1 tbsp. chopped parsley to garnish Directions 1. Blend beans in food processor. 2. Slowly add lemon juice alternately with oil. 3. Add seasoning and chill. 4. Garnish with parsley and serve as a dip for fresh vegetables or as a sandwich spread. References Harris WS. N-3 fatty acids and serum lipoproteins: human studies. Am J Clin Nutr 1997;65(suppl):1645S-54S. Simonopoulos AT, Leaf A, Salem N. Essentiality of and recommended intakes for omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Ann Nutr Metab 1999:43:127-30. Venkatraman, J.T., et al. 2000. Dietary fats and immune status in athletes: clinical implications. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 32: S389-S395. Wu, D. Meydani, S.N., "n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Immune Function," Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 57(4):503-9, 1998 Nov. Cunnane SC, et al. Nutritional attributes of traditional flaxseed in healthy young adults. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vol. 61(1):62-68, 1995. Hamadeh MJ, et al. Nutritional aspects of flaxseed in the human diet. Proceedings of the Flax Institute. Vol. 4, pp 48-53, 1992. Bang H.O., Dyerberg, J., Hjoorne, N. The composition of food consumed by Greenland Eskimos. Acta Medical Scandinavia. Vol. 200, pp 69-73, 1976. Bierenbaum ML, et al. Reducing atherogenic risk in hyperlipemic humans with flax seed supplementation: a preliminary report. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Vol. 12(5), pp. 501-4, 1993. Andreassi, M., et al. Efficacy of Gamma Linolenic Acid in the Treatment of Patients with Atopic Dermatitis, The Journal of International Medical Research, Vol. 25, pp. 266-74, 1997. Kalmij S. et al. Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, Antioxidants, and Cognitive Function in Very Old Men. American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 145. No 1 pp 33-41. Thompson LU. Flaxseed and its lignan and oil components reduce mammary tumor growth at late stage of carcinogenesis. Carcinogenesis, Vol. 17(6), pp 1373-6, 1996. Kristin Reisinger, MS RD, is a New York City-based nutritional consultant, fitness trainer, freelance health + fitness writer and musician. She holds a Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology + Nutrition from Columbia University and is a Registered Dietitian through American Dietetic Association. She is also a competitive figure athlete, former Galaxy competitor, avid snowboarder, rock climber and surfer. She has been competing for over five years and will continue to do so until she is 80. She can be contacted at kristin@kristinreisinger.com. |
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