NUTRITION MADE EASY

A MONTHLY Q&A COLUMN THAT GETS RIGHT TO THE HEART OF YOUR MOST ASKED QUESTIONS ON DIET & SUPPLEMENTATION COMPILED BY KEN ROSCOE
Q: I can’t stand salmon so where should I get omega-3 from and  does it really matter? A: Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid that most of the Western world’s population is deficient in to some degree. And, yes, it does matter, especially to someone training to  be at their best. Omega-3 is involved in a wide variety of bodily functions. It helps regulate the cardiovascular system, metabolism, insulin and hormone production. It’s also an anti-inflammatory, aids fat loss and is required for cell integrity so it’s certainly conducive to long-term health. It is one of the two essential fatty acids (the other being omega-6 linoleic acid) that our bodies cannot produce  so we must find it in our diet. Omega-3 is usually ingested as alpha-linolenic acid, which the body then converts firstly to EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and then to DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). It is these fatty acids in particular that are credited with most  of the health benefits listed above. Incidentally, most of your brain is made up of DHA, which is why fish oils are often termed brain food. The salmon you won’t eat, along with mackerel, sardines and other oily fish contains these important long-chain fatty acids ready-made, saving your body the difficult task of producing them. The ability to convert these acids varies widely with the individual and the required enzyme declines with age, so from around 30 years old it’s definitely beneficial to actually eat the fish. I have always strongly recommended the use of fish oils for athletes and would advise that you take EPA/DHA or krill oil capsules as a substitute. You should then look to boost your omega-3 intake with coldpressed organic flax oil. This contains around 54% alpha-linolenic acid, the highest natural source available. 10 ml a day would be a good starting point. Other oils in order of preference, but with much lower yields, are pumpkin seed, soya, rapeseed and  walnut. Some omega-3 is also available in dark green leafy vegetables, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, berries, avocado and eggs. Q: Is brown rice better than  white rice? A: The whole grain of anything is always nutritionally better than its processed version. Brown rice by definition is rice that has just had the first hull (or husk) removed, leaving most of the grain intact. White rice on the other hand is further milled to remove all the bran and polished to give a clean white finished product. Manufacturers do this because it cooks quicker, looks more appealing, stores for years and has a neutral flavour. Because the bran and germ remain pretty much intact, brown rice contains more vitamins, minerals, fibre and oils. Unfortunately, those fatty oils can degrade (go rancid) in a matter of months so shelf life is considerably shorter. Brown rice accounts for less than a quarter of rice sales even though most people know it is healthier. Longer grain rice tends to be  more slowly absorbed than the  shorter grain “sticky” rice. I have  always recommended basmati  rice if clients won’t eat brown rice  as it has a lower glycaemic index  than most types of rice In fact, white basmati still contains reasonable amounts of fibre and is more slowly absorbed than all other types of white rice and even most brown rice varieties. This is because up to 25% of its starch content is amylose, an insoluble polysaccharide that is more difficult to break down and therefore slower to digest, giving a lower glycaemic value. The other type of rice starch is amylopectin, also a polysaccharide, but it is quickly assimilated and is the major component of the medium- and short-grain varieties. Because starch leaks from the rice during cooking, it gives a glutinous coating, which makes the rice sticky and binds it together. This type of rice digests very quickly and unless that is preferential for some reason (such as a weak digestive system or needing energy quickly) it’s probably best avoided or consumed in small portions. Rice is rarely eaten alone so if white basmati is the only type you will eat, the slight lack of fibre and minerals can be made up with peas, beans or other vegetables, and the protein component (meat, fish etc) of the meal also further slows absorption. Q: Do you recommend a high-fibre diet for fat loss? A: I recommend a high-fibre diet all the time (25-35 g daily) but I do increase fibre further in diet conditions and certainly in the run-up to a bodybuilding or physique contest where  fat loss and conditioning are critical. If your intake of fibre is low it is probably wise to increase it slowly  to give your digestive system time to adapt. Fibre has many health benefits and comes in two types: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibres like the gums found in oats (which contain more soluble fibre than any other grain) and pectin and gums found in apples, berries and other fruit and vegetables attract water and form a gel in the gut, slowing digestion. This helps to rid the body of toxins, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, control blood glucose levels and help prevent bowel cancer. Insoluble fibre, again found in  fruit and veg along with whole grains, cereals, nuts and some seeds, helps  to regulate bowel movements and prevent constipation. Keeping the digestive tract moving freely prevents the long-standing build-up of waste matter, some of which (particularly degraded red meat) can produce carcinogens. Therefore, it’s a good idea for big meat-eaters to consume plenty of fibre as this can reduce digestive transit time to about 24 hours compared to about 72 hours for someone on a low-fibre diet. Any athlete should consider a high-fibre diet essential for body fat reduction and blood glucose stability. A further benefit to dieters is that because fibre is largely indigestible it can make you feel fuller for longer, therefore suppressing appetite. Wheat fibre, for example, swells to 10 times its original volume with water, thereby bulking up ingested foods. It is worth mentioning that the more a food is cooked the more the fibre is broken down. Consequently, fruit and vegetables should be eaten as raw as possible to preserve the integrity of the fibre. As there are many individual fibres, each with different physiological effects, it is wise to consume a wide variety from different sources, such as fruit and vegetables, beans and lentils, whole grains and rice, oats and seeds, and also drink plenty of water. M&F Ken Roscoe is a former quality controller for a multinational food company. He is now managing director of Foodtech Sports Nutrition Ltd and helps numerous athletes, bodybuilders, fitness models and actors with  their diets. He can be contacted at  Ken@foodtech.co GETTY IMAGES, STOCK PHOTO 170    MUSCLE&FITNESS