Request for review of paper on Omega-3 and the necessity to use flax.

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andrewvecsey - 25 Nov 2004 18:45 GMT

Abstract:

The basics of w3/w6 are described, their importance is highlighted,
and the lack of w3 in our diet is explained. The RDA values available
today for w3/w6 are compared with how much w3 was being consumed 100
years ago before the food industry took control of the w3 sources and
cancer and CVD took over our health. Typical modern diets are analyzed
for w3/w6 and shortages of w3 are highlighted. It is shown that
drastic corrections must be made to correct for the drastic reduction
of our w3 supply and can not be made practically without using flax
as the main source of w3. A typical high fat and low fat diet is
analyzed for w3 and w6 and shown that they must be corrected with
flax. Flax is presented as the only practical source of w3 in our
modern times of shortage. Tips are given for using flax optimally. An
analogy that compares the biological system of our body to the
sociological system of our city is used to simplify the understanding
and appreciation of the role w3 plays in our health.
http://www.geocities.com/andrewvecsey/omega3.html
regards
andrew vecsey

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markd@toad-net.com - 25 Nov 2004 19:13 GMT

How valid are your assumptions that flax seed was used as oil in food?
We know of it's use in the paint industry, in what form was it used in
human food? Because the oil gets rancid unless treated, such as used in
the paint industry, in previous times it would require local grinding of
seed and local introduction into human foods, but where can info to that
effect be found? It might be possible that in areas local to flax plant
growing that seeds might be fed to animals as a food suppliment just to
get rid of them, but this would likely be quite local and use in most
areas spotty.

>Abstract:
>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>regards
>andrew vecsey

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Larry Hoover - 27 Nov 2004 19:09 GMT

> Abstract:
>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> regards
> andrew vecsey

A quote from early on in your paper:

"Sources high in w3 for 1 cup quantities:

flax seed oil (100g) , flax seed (28g), hemp oil (35g), walnut oil (22g), wheatgerm
oil (15g), soy been oil (15g), rape seed oil (14g), walnuts (10g), sardine fish oil
(3g), margarine (2.5-15g), butter (2.6g), salmon fish oil (2.3g) cod liver oil (2g),
, cream cheese (1g), pecans (1.1g), tuna salad (0.68g), swiss cheese (0.4g), egg
yolk (0.25g), egg (0.18g), spinach (0.15g), milk (0.13g). NOTE: 1 bag potato chips
(0.43g),1 hot dog (0.73), 1 fruit pie crust (0.72), 100gms meat (0.27g), serving of
fruit//vegetable (0.1-0.3g)."

I don't know where you got those figures for the fish products, but they are
absurdly understated. 1 cup, or 250 mL of fish oil, with a mass of about 200 grams,
would contain about 75 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (includes others in that class
besides EPA and DHA). The value for egg yolk depends entirely on the source of the
feed for the chicken, but in any case, that is also an absurdly understated value in
the case of free-range eggs. "meat" is not a valid category for which to state an
explicit value; the EFA content of e.g. wild boar is very different indeed than that
of feedlot beef.

Moreover, you imply throughout your treatise that omega-3 fatty acids are
interchangeable in diet. That is not demonstrated in your paper, and is fallacious,
in any case.

Lar

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andrewvecsey - 28 Nov 2004 10:39 GMT

Dear Lars,
Thank you for your comments.
Are you saying that in calculating the w3/w6 ratio, I should be using
instead (w3+EPA+DHA)/w6.

As you can see I am not a scientist, and my paper is not a scientific
treatise but a layman's description. The picture I painted is not an
accurate and complete one but a simplified cartoon highlighting the
vital role of omega3 in our health that even children can understand
and appreciate. The only fatty acids I mentioned were the 2 EFAs w6
and w3. w6 as Linoleic Acid (all cis-w6,9-octadecadienoic acid) and w3
as AlphaLinolenic Acid (all cis-w3,6,9-octadecatrienoic acid. The only
factors I used were RDA for w3 and the recommended w3/w6 ratio. In
calculating the w3/w6 ratio, I did not consider EPA and DHA.

If the w3/w6 ratio should be (w3+EPA+DHA)/w6 then salmon oil shares
the front stage with the flax that was presented as the only practical
nutrient available to properly balance our diet regarding w3 RDA and
w3/w6 ratio.

In that case to bring the low fat diet (diet 2) in my paper up to the
w3 RDA and w3/w6 recommendations (1/1), you have to correct with 10g
of salmon fish oil/day. That is about 1 Tbs (Tablespoons) of salmon
fish oil/day. This is interestingly the same amount of flax seed oil
that you need for correction. To reach a 2/1 ratio, you need 4 times
the amounts.
To correct the high fat diet 1 and reach a 1/1 w3/w6 ratio, you need
100g salmon or flax oil/day. And to reach a 2/1 ratio, you need 2
times the amounts.

The data used is from USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard
Reference, Release 15 at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/SR15/sr15_doc.htm
For salmon oil and flax oil:
100g salmon fish oil has 1g w3, 31.2g of EPA/DHA and 1.5g w6.
100g flax oil has 53.25g w3, 0g EPA/DHA and 12.7g w6.
100g codliver oil has 0.93g w3, 17.6g EPA/DHA and 0.93g w6.
Calculations with cod liver oil shows that to bring the low fat diet
(diet 2) in my paper up to the w3 RDA and a 1/1 w3/w6 ratio, you have
to correct with 4 Tbs of cod liver oil/day.

I listed "meats" in the source of w3 more as a comparison to show its
significance (or insignificance). I used an average of many typical
meats like beef, lamb, pork and chicken.
For eggs, I use the figure for hard bioled eggs as found in the USDA
data base, which are 8 x lower in their EPA/DHA levels than the omega3
eggs from flax fed chickens.

If w3/w6 ratio can include EPA/DHA, then my conclusions that flax is
the only practical source to correct or diets regarding w3 and w3/w6
is incorrect. This is very good news, as it gives us salmon oil as a
second practical source of w3 and way to correct for the w3/w6
unbalance that is unaviodable in our modern processed diet.

Flax oil is still a lot cheaper. More over flax seeds ensure that the
oil contained is not altered and always fresh. In addition, flax seeds
are cheaply and easily available and include the needed vit E for w3
absoption.

You say that I imply throughout my paper that "omega-3 fatty acids are
interchangeable in diet. That is not demonstrated in your paper, and
is fallacious."

Can you clarify this as I am not sure I understand.
Thank you again for your comments
regards
andrew vecsey
http://www.geocities.com/andrewvecsey/omega3.html

> > Abstract:
> >
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>
> Lar

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