OLIVES & OLIVE OILOlives and their oil are one of nature's most abundant sources of beneficial monos. But that's only the beginning. They also contain phytochemicals like polyphenols. "These protective compounds may prevent both cardiovascular disease and cancer and reduce inflammation that can lead to chronic illness," says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman's Diet. A recent Spanish study found that among 755 women in the Canary Islands, where the breast cancer rate is higher than in the rest of Spain, those who consumed the most olive oil-morethat 8.8gram, or about a third of an ounce(9 grams) a day--were least likely to get the disease.
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Skewer pitted olives among grilled peppers, shrimps and onions, or stir chunks into spicy pasta sauce and serve over pasta or fish. Swap mayo for flavourful dip made at home with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and rosemary for breads or salads. Chop some black olives on your toasted bread at abreakfast. Olive oil is an excellent butter substitute on steamed or grilled veggies: drizzle 1 or 2 teaspoons over steamed broccoli and lightly dust the veggies with grated cheese and a grind of black pepper. Choose extra virgin olive oil--it contains the highest level of healthy phenolic compounds. Keep a jar of table olives in the refrigerator. Five or 6 if them make a quick, ready snack. The taste might be foreign to you, but try and cultivate it
NUTRIENT PROFILE
Five Large olives = 2.4 g fat, 25 calories.
1 tablespoon oil = 13.5 g fat, 120 calories.
PEANUTS & PEANUT BUTTER
Five of the largest epidemiological studies in the US found that eating nuts reduces the risk of heart disease. The Nurses' Health Study at Harvard observed that, eating at least 140 grams of nuts a week lowered cardiovascular disease risk by 35%, probably because of their healthy fat. Peanuts and peanut butter pack a lot of calories--170 per 28 grams of nuts, 94 for 1 tablespoon of peanut butter--but Pennsylvania State University research found that among more than 14,000 people, those who were regular peanut and peanut-butter eaters actually had a lower body mass index (a measure of obesity), and lower cholesterol intake than those who didn't eat peanuts. Peanuts also contain beta-sitosterol, a plant chemical that blocks cholesterol absorption from foods and appears to inhibit tumour growth in the colon, prostate and breast.
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Crush them and sprinkle a few tablespoons over coleslaw, rice dishes, shrimp or chicken salad, or a fruit salad. Spread 2 tablespoons of your favorite full-fat(the good stuffs in the fat) brand on wholewheat and add slicked apples, pears, or bananas. Mix 1/4 cup of peanut butter with 1 tablespoon each of chicken broth and soy sauce to create a rich, exotic sauce for grilled chicken, noodle dishes, or salad.
NUTRIENT PROFILE
28 peanuts = 14 g fat, 166 calories.
1 tablespoon peanut butter = 8.1 g fat, 94 calories.
FLAXSEED
Flaxseed is famous for its Omega-3s but it's also an outstanding source of lignans, a type of fibre that acts like a weak form of estrogen in our bodies and may help fight some types of breast cancers. Researchers at the University of Toronto and Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Centre in Boston, who analysed tumour tissue, found that tumour growth slowed significantly and cancer cell death increased by as much as 30% in recently diagnosed post-menopausal breast cancer patients who ate a muffin of flaxseed daily for about a month before surgery.
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Its nutty flavor makes flaxseed a natural addition to baked goods and breakfast foods. You must grind the hull from the seed to release all of flax's nutrients. Add 1/4 cup of ground seeds to pancakes, muffins, cookies and quick breads(but watch baking times--flaxseed can cause food to brown more quickly). Add a tablespoon or two to curd, cereal, soups or fresh-fruit smoothies. Flax is best stored in the refrigerator. Ground flaxseed must be used promptly because it spoils more quickly than the whole seed.
NUTRIENT PROFILE
2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed = 5.9 g fat, 75 calories.
WALNUTS
"Hands down, walnuts have the highest level of Omega-3 fats of any nut,". Walnuts are one of the few plant sources of this healthy fat that may protect against inflammation, heart disease, asthma and arthritis and improve cognitive function.
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These fragrant nuts lend themselves to both sweet and savoury dishes. They're suited to crisp oatmeal cookies or a rich banana bread, but they also add spark and crunch to salads and ice-cream sundaes. To stave off hunger, add 2 tablespoons of crushed walnuts ot your morning cerea, or just munch on them for an on-the-go snack.
NUTRIENT PROFILE
14 walnut halves = 28 g : 18.5 g fat, 2.57 Omega-3, 185 calories.
SOYBEANS (EDAMAME)
Though recent studies have cast a doubt on soya's ability to independently lower your risk of heart disease, it's a great substitute for meat in your diet and that can help lower your cholesterol. A multi-centre study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that a diet that substituted soy products for meat and contained specific kinds of fibre ( such as that in oats), and almonds, lowered cholesterol as much as statin drugs (more than 20%) for one-third of the participants. Soy also helps protect heart-health of menopausal women.
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Add soybeans to stir-fries, vegetable stews, or wholewheat pasta dishes to boost poly-unsaturated fat and protein. Use them to replace meat in a stir-fry of broccoli, baby spinach and ginger. Or go half-and -half with chickpeas in hummus. Or mix some soybean flour with your regular flour to make rotis. You could also snack on roasted soybeans (just make sure that the bag that you pick up is actually of roasted beans and not fried ones).
NUTRIENT PROFILE
1 cup cooked soybeans = 11.5 g fat, 190 calories.
ALMONDS
They'll improve your cardiovascular health. Almonds and almond oil for half the fat in the diets of their volunteers: slightly more than approximately 60 grams of almonds and nearly 32 grams of almond oil daily. At the end of 6 weeks, the 22 men and women had lower total cholesterol (a drop of 4%), lower LDL levels (a drop of 6%), and significantly lower triglycerides (a 14% drop), while their HDL levels went up by 6%.
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Sprinkle a tablespoon or two of silvered almonds over steamed brown rice or zafrani pulao. For a light dessert, sprinkle a tablespoon of crushed almonds over fruit salad.
NUTRIENT PROFILE
23 almonds = 14.4 g fat, 164 calories.
FISH
Fatty fish will do wonders to your heart. Fish packs heart- protective and anti-inflammatory Omega-3 fats. Omega-3s prevent inflammation of the arteries ensuring unobstructed blood circulation.
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The best way to get more of fish is to, well, eat more. Around 115 grams (2 1/2 pieces) of fish eaten four times a week should be okay. But, avoid eating the same variety more than twice a week. This will get you a variety of nutrients without getting you too much of something that is bad for your health--in the case of fish, it is mercury poisoning or other pollutants.
NUTRIENT PROFILE
Salmon, half fillet (159 grams) = 5.5 g fat, 1.1 g Omega-3, 184 calories.
MORE SOURCES OF GOOD FATS
* CASHEW NUTS75% of their fat is unsaturated fat; they are a good source of copper and magnesium too. Eat them as a snack or sprinkle silvered nuts on your desserts.
* AVOCADOS
Loaded with heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fats. Monos help lower total and 'bad' LDL cholestrol.
* GHEE
Although high in saturated fat, a bit of it is known to boost immunity.
*CURD
Set from full cream milk-if you can control your other sources of fat, this could be a healthy and tasty option.
*SUNFLOWER SEEDS
You need to get linoleic acid in your diet to help synthesise other fats and your body can't make it (as well as other essential fatty acids). Get it from sunflower seeds.