The Paleo Diet - Loren Cordain [62]
Should You Eat Canned Fish?
Canned tuna is America’s favorite fish by far. But the canning process causes a number of problems, the least of which is a loss of fresh flavor. This is what happens: the tuna is cooked at high temperatures and then sealed in a can containing salt, vegetable oil, water, or a combination of these three ingredients. The canning process removes 99 percent of the vitamin A found in fresh tuna, 97 percent of the vitamin B1, 86 percent of the vitamin B2, 45 percent of the niacin, and 59 percent of the vitamin B . It also increases the level of oxidized cholesterol in the fish, specifically a molecule called “25-hydroxycholesterol” that is extremely destructive to the linings of arterial blood vessels—so destructive that oxidized cholesterol is routinely fed to laboratory animals to accelerate artery clogging in order to test theories of heart disease. In animal models of atherosclerosis and heart disease, only 0.3 percent of the dietary cholesterol needs to be in the form of oxidized cholesterol to cause premature damage to the arterial linings.
To complete the degradation of this formerly healthy food, the tuna is packed with salt water or vegetable oils, which usually are high in omega 6 fatty acids. If you have the choice, always choose fresh or frozen fish over canned fish. If you do eat canned tuna, try to find brands that are packed in water only (no salt) or in more healthful oils, such as olive. (Most water-packed tuna contains added salt, but this can be removed by soaking the tuna in a shallow pan filled with tap water and then rinsing the fish in a colander under a running tap.)
Eggs: Good or Bad?
Eggs are healthful foods; our Paleolithic ancestors ate them seasonally, because they just weren’t available all the time. Several recent studies have shown that eating one egg a day has no discernible effect on your blood cholesterol level and does not increase your risk of heart disease. So go ahead—enjoy a couple of eggs for breakfast every few days.
There’s more good news on the egg front: you can buy chicken eggs that, like the wild bird eggs our ancestors ate, have high levels of omega 3 fatty acids. These enriched eggs—produced when chicken are fed omega 3-enriched feeds—are nutritionally superior and are available at many supermarkets and health food stores.
Because eggs are one of our richest dietary sources of cholesterol, the way they’re cooked influences the level of oxidized cholesterol—which can damage the cells lining your arteries and increase your risk of developing atherosclerosis and heart disease. High heat—like that of a griddle—produces more oxidized cholesterol than slow cooking: poaching, hard-boiling, or baking. When you have the choice, avoid fried eggs.
A recent study demonstrated that eggs from free-range hens had up to 1/3 less cholesterol, ¼ less saturated fat, 2/3 more vitamin A, 2 times more omega 3 fatty acids, 3 times more vitamin E, and 7 times more beta-carotene, than battery-cage eggs.
Similar to the situation with grass-fed, free-range meats, eggs produced from chickens allowed to live and forage freely are more nutritious and healthful than are their factory-produced counterparts. One of the first poultry farmers to recognize the superiority of free-range eggs was my friend George Bass. You can sample George’s eggs at his Web site for the Country Hen below. I also recommend that you visit Jo Robinson’s Web site, www.eatwild.com, to find a local producer of free-range eggs near your home.
The Country Hen
P.O. Box 333
Hubbardston, MA 01452
Phone: (978) 928-5333
countryhen.com
How to Make the Most of Fruits and Vegetables
One of the first changes you’ll notice when you start the Paleo Diet is the large amounts of fresh fruits and veggies that you will need to keep on hand. Note: To help produce stay fresh longer, keep fruits and