Saturday 5 October 2024

Saturday evening, 05-10-24, a freezer sort out and omega 3 fatty acids.

Good evening, everyone!  

Update to the wine thingy - no, I didn't get the migraine reaction but I didn't sleep terribly well either.  Maybe or maybe not but I intend going carefully, all the same.

Can you see my halo?  😇  I sorted out all the meat and fish in the freezer yesterday and now I have an up to date definitive list.  I was especially pleased that I have plenty of fish seeing as I am supposed to be eating more of it now.
I must just plan it in . . .

What I ate today

A yummy breakfast!  I just spread a bit of yogurt and a bit of 'jam' on each penny pancake (or pancake penny!), rolled it up and scoffed it!
Half a healthy extra B for oats and one syn for chia seeds plus one and a half syns for a little bit of evoo

Lunch was very simple.  I mixed together mixed beans, olives and feta, added some hummus dressing and spooned it all on to some leaves.
The dressing was some home made hummus, some lime juice, a bit of Dijon mustard and some water.  I think I added a bit too much water and added a bit of peanut butter powder to try to compensate.  It worked really well and was tasty.

One and a half syns for olives, one healthy extra A for feta and two and a half syns for the hummus dressing.

I had an easy peeler and some melon later on.

Fasolia gigantes means (says the recipe book) giant baked beans.  It's tomatoes, onion, cinnamon, cumin, oregano and butter beans and I added some chorizo, some evoo and some cheese on top.  It was really delish.
Dessert was some cherry fro yo.

Three syns for the evoo, two for the chorizo and one healthy extra A.  I don't syn blended fruit.

Summary:
two healthy extra As
half a healthy extra B
eleven and a half syns

My meal plans for tomorrow:

B: smoked haddock, tomatoes and mushrooms

L:   roast pork dinner; fruit
Beth and Alex are round and I plan to use the slow cooker.  Nothing posh, I just like very tender pork.  

D:  pork toastie, salad; fruit
Gotta use up leftovers!

Exercise:   gardening
The Extra Bit

As I go into the benefits of different aspects of the Mediterranean way of eating, I come across familiar terms that I realise I know absolutely nothing about.
For example 'omega 3 fatty acids'.  Not a very attractive name but they are supposed to be a Very Good Thing and I wondered why.
(some of the terminology/vocabulary I have copied and pasted to make sure it is accurate.  Half of it I can't even pronounce, let alone spell correctly!)

OK, so they are fats that naturally occur in plants and fish and they are good for cell membranes and help with growth, vision and immune function.
Possible health benefits (research is ongoing) include heart health, lowering risk of cancer and reducing inflammation

There are three main types and this is where I start copying . . .
The three main types of omega-3s that are important for your health are:

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA): mostly found in plant foods.
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA): mostly found in fish.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): mostly found in fish.
ALA is a long-chain fatty acid, and EPA and DHA are very-long-chain fatty acids. Experts consider EPA and DHA to be the most important omega-3s for health.

So now you know - you really wanted to read that, didn't you!

More copying . . .
The omega-3 ALA — which is mostly found in plant foods — is an essential fatty acid, meaning your body can’t make it. This means that food is the only way to get it.
Your body can convert ALA into the two other main omega-3 types, EPA and DHA, but only in small amounts. So, eating foods with EPA and DHA is the best way to get these important fatty acids, which are often found in fatty fish.

You can buy supplements that contain all three plus some that are suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

The best sources of omega 3 fatty acids are . . .
Anchovies
Herring
Mackerel
Trout
Salmon
Oysters
Flaxseed oil
Chia seeds
Walnuts
Flaxseed
Canola oil
Soybean oil

So now I know - and so do you!!


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