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Enjoy.
Each winter I get a strong craving for a piping hot, potato topped fish pie. When I started searching for a recipe it was hard to find one free of white sauce, so in the end I had to make up my own!
This one is gluten-free and can be made with a dairy-free mash if required. It has got me through the last half dozen winters so I can promise you it tastes delicious.
Gill’s Fish Pie
(serves at least 4 but this recipe halves well to make two individual pies)
Olive oil for sautéing
600g blue eye (or similar firm white fish) fillets, in approx. 8mm chunks
600g leeks, washed trimmed and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Additional vegetables as desired, diced
75g green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
45 g of small capers (the ones in salt where you soak for an hour, then drain)
1 tablespoon lemon peel, finely chopped or grated
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Mashed potato – enough to cover your pie dish (boil potatoes til tender, drain well, mash with olive oil/butter and a dash of salt)
Method
Get the potatoes on for the mash.
Cook fish in olive oil. Do this in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. Just 1 minute per side (to seal rather than cook through). Put aside. Now saute the leeks and then add the garlic, cook til soft. If you want to add more vegetables (zucchini, silverbeet etc) toss them in now too. Mix the fish and vegetables with lemon peel, capers, olives and parsley. Give it a quick toss then set aside.
Make the mash.
Combine the fish/leek mixture in the pie dish. Top with generous amounts of mash. Bake in a hot oven, around 200 C for about 20-30 minutes, til the mash is golden on top.
Showing posts with label fish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fish. Show all posts
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Monday, July 14, 2008
Superfoods
Superfood is the term coined for a common food that has all the benefits of the best preventer drug in the world – without any of the side effects. I’d prefer to think of them as the pick of the crop of nature’s health foods.
What tends to set these foods apart is the amount of antioxidants or other anti-inflammatory like properties. Inflammation is the key to most chronic conditions and is also associated with cancer. They also tend to contain lots of vitamins and also fibre. Vitamin C, in particular is usually noted in the plant foods, however what is often overlooked is that this is a fragile vitamin. The C contact starts going down the minute the fruit or vegetable is picked and further destroyed by freezing or cooking.
In the plant world, a strong vibrant colour is often associated with its health benefits. For example fruits and vegetables with a deep orange or red colour like carrots and beetroot are dripping with beta carotene (a form of vitamin A), dark greens tend to packed with chlorophyll and so on. All plant foods contain fibre and one current theory as to why foods can be superior to a pill packed with the same key health properties is the way the fibre slows down the release of the nutrients. Fibre is also important to mop up cholesterol and keep the bowels healthy.
Do Superfoods live up to the hype?
Watermelon hit the headlines recently due to the discovery that a constituent called citrulline can trigger production of a compound that helps relax the body's blood vessels. This is largely due to it being converted into the amino acid arginine, known for its heart health benefits. These relaxed vessels are the central action that makes drugs like Viagra do their stuff. But just how much watermelon do you need to consume to get anywhere near a medicinal dose of citrulline? The scientists suggest it is around 6 cups of watermelon, which considering the diuretic effects of the melon could be counterproductive.
Blueberries (and bilberries) are one of the tastiest antioxidant containing fruits on the market. This purpley-blue coloured berry was a valued medicine to the Native American Indians. In the late 20th century it has been discovered that beyond the vitamin C that all fresh fruit has, the skin of blueberries have anti-inflammatory properties as well.
If you can’t afford blueberries – grape skins and seeds are rich in resveratrol and other anti-cancer, heart friendly goodies and act in a similar way to blueberries. The positive effects of the grapes in red wine (white doesn’t always use the skins and the seeds) are being rethought. After all the hype of the ‘80’s it appears fresh grapes and red grape juice might be better for you than wine after all.
Broccoli was one of the first superfoods to get popular attention. As the head of the cruciferae vegetable family it is a type of sulphur, responsible for the hotness in mustard and the odour of cabbage that is identified as the key anti-cancer component. The latest findings suggest that broccoli could play a role in preventing prostate cancer. Broccoli has similar benefits whether eaten cooked or raw but the strongest source of the nutrients is actually from sprouted broccoli seeds – you don’t have to eat as many and they are easy to sprinkle on a salad or include in a sandwich. To get the goodies from any sprouts it is best to eat them as young as possible, a good few days before the use by date.
If you don’t like broccoli make sure you include other cruciferous vegetables in your regular eating plan, such as cauliflower, cabbage and brussels sprouts.
Garlic and the onion (allium) family also contain a type of sulphur, which gives it such a pungent smell. It has been a prized medicine used by all ancient civilizations that grew it. Not only is garlic a powerful antimicrobial herb but it also does more than fight infections. The allicin in garlic has cholesterol lowering properties and other benefits for the cardiovascular system. More recently it has been shown to also play a role in the prevention and treatment of diabetes, asthma and cancer.
If you don’t like garlic breath try eating some parsley afterwards. Unfortunately cooking and exposure to air diminish some of the good properties - so to get all the benefits try chopping some fresh garlic just before whisking it into a salad dressing. Onions also have some of these benefits.
Oats and other whole grains like barley are full of fibre and over 20 years ago the outer coating (bran) of oats was found to lower cholesterol. Unless you add sweetener in some form to the meal, these grains are also useful in lowering blood sugar and are essential foods in treating type 2 diabetes.
If you don’t like these grains or have a gluten allergy – brown rice, amaranth, millet and quinoa are equally delicious and contain nutrients and fibre. Most people do not have enough of these wholefoods in their diet and would benefit from swapping even their grainiest of breads for a few serves a week of these foods.
Oily fish is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and other goodies are a Health Trip favourite. Primarily anti-inflammatory which makes them a fine food for almost any chronic disease as well as cardiovascular health and cancer – there is a whole show on this in the archives.
Can’t eat fish? There is a lot of hype around vegetarian alternative such asflax seed and pomegranates but these contain short-chain ALA’s. The link above goes into the pros and cons of these but the take home message is that you may need additional nutrients such as zinc, E and B6 to metabolise these so they don’t end up creating inflammation in the body.
Tomatoes are one of the most over used fruits in the Australian and American diets. Just as well that it is abundant in lycopenes, yet another of those clever antioxidants. Lycopene has been identified, like broccoli, in the prevention of prostate cancer. More interestingly the combination of tomatoes and broccoli has been found to have an even more powerful anti-tumour effect. Next time you are making a napoli sauce, add some broccoli – even better serve it on a bed of quinoa or brown rice for an even healthier meal.
Soy is the most controversial of the superfoods and possibly because the most popular sources of it are also the most refined. Soy milk, powder (eg: in protein bars) and tofu have their detractors but the whole bean cooked or fermented (in tempeh or miso) is a healthy way to get a dose of phytooestrogens, an important nutrient to ease the effects of menopause.
My article on the tofu, phytooestrogens and dementia issues pulls apart the latest research and contains links to many strands of the debate.
If it is not called a Superfood, does it mean it is not as good?
What promotes a food from just ordinary to super is research. While all commonly eaten plant foods are packed full of nutrients scientists (or their funding bodies) currently don’t find carrots or beetroot – two vegetables abundant in vitamins and fibre – on the top of their list. However tea, coffee and chocolate producers have had a lot more resources to splash around, hence their rise in popularity. On that note – the caffeine in these three foods tends to negate some of the benefits if you are after a medicinal dose of antioxidants from these substances.
Nuts, seeds, sprouts, avocado, spinach, papaya are common inclusions on most superfood lists. Others spruik yoghurt, due to the natural probiotics and their benefits to the gut. However other fermented foods like sauerkraut and miso can have a similar action, it is just that they aren’t backed by such a powerful industry.
Why stop at superfoods? How about we consider some Super-meals. These would be ones containing a variety of dark coloured vegetables, a sprinkling of sprouts, some fatty fish, whole grains or raw seeds and finished with some berries or other intensely coloured fruit.
Let me know what your favourite Super-meals are.
What tends to set these foods apart is the amount of antioxidants or other anti-inflammatory like properties. Inflammation is the key to most chronic conditions and is also associated with cancer. They also tend to contain lots of vitamins and also fibre. Vitamin C, in particular is usually noted in the plant foods, however what is often overlooked is that this is a fragile vitamin. The C contact starts going down the minute the fruit or vegetable is picked and further destroyed by freezing or cooking.
In the plant world, a strong vibrant colour is often associated with its health benefits. For example fruits and vegetables with a deep orange or red colour like carrots and beetroot are dripping with beta carotene (a form of vitamin A), dark greens tend to packed with chlorophyll and so on. All plant foods contain fibre and one current theory as to why foods can be superior to a pill packed with the same key health properties is the way the fibre slows down the release of the nutrients. Fibre is also important to mop up cholesterol and keep the bowels healthy.
Do Superfoods live up to the hype?
Watermelon hit the headlines recently due to the discovery that a constituent called citrulline can trigger production of a compound that helps relax the body's blood vessels. This is largely due to it being converted into the amino acid arginine, known for its heart health benefits. These relaxed vessels are the central action that makes drugs like Viagra do their stuff. But just how much watermelon do you need to consume to get anywhere near a medicinal dose of citrulline? The scientists suggest it is around 6 cups of watermelon, which considering the diuretic effects of the melon could be counterproductive.
Blueberries (and bilberries) are one of the tastiest antioxidant containing fruits on the market. This purpley-blue coloured berry was a valued medicine to the Native American Indians. In the late 20th century it has been discovered that beyond the vitamin C that all fresh fruit has, the skin of blueberries have anti-inflammatory properties as well.
If you can’t afford blueberries – grape skins and seeds are rich in resveratrol and other anti-cancer, heart friendly goodies and act in a similar way to blueberries. The positive effects of the grapes in red wine (white doesn’t always use the skins and the seeds) are being rethought. After all the hype of the ‘80’s it appears fresh grapes and red grape juice might be better for you than wine after all.
Broccoli was one of the first superfoods to get popular attention. As the head of the cruciferae vegetable family it is a type of sulphur, responsible for the hotness in mustard and the odour of cabbage that is identified as the key anti-cancer component. The latest findings suggest that broccoli could play a role in preventing prostate cancer. Broccoli has similar benefits whether eaten cooked or raw but the strongest source of the nutrients is actually from sprouted broccoli seeds – you don’t have to eat as many and they are easy to sprinkle on a salad or include in a sandwich. To get the goodies from any sprouts it is best to eat them as young as possible, a good few days before the use by date.
If you don’t like broccoli make sure you include other cruciferous vegetables in your regular eating plan, such as cauliflower, cabbage and brussels sprouts.
Garlic and the onion (allium) family also contain a type of sulphur, which gives it such a pungent smell. It has been a prized medicine used by all ancient civilizations that grew it. Not only is garlic a powerful antimicrobial herb but it also does more than fight infections. The allicin in garlic has cholesterol lowering properties and other benefits for the cardiovascular system. More recently it has been shown to also play a role in the prevention and treatment of diabetes, asthma and cancer.
If you don’t like garlic breath try eating some parsley afterwards. Unfortunately cooking and exposure to air diminish some of the good properties - so to get all the benefits try chopping some fresh garlic just before whisking it into a salad dressing. Onions also have some of these benefits.
Oats and other whole grains like barley are full of fibre and over 20 years ago the outer coating (bran) of oats was found to lower cholesterol. Unless you add sweetener in some form to the meal, these grains are also useful in lowering blood sugar and are essential foods in treating type 2 diabetes.
If you don’t like these grains or have a gluten allergy – brown rice, amaranth, millet and quinoa are equally delicious and contain nutrients and fibre. Most people do not have enough of these wholefoods in their diet and would benefit from swapping even their grainiest of breads for a few serves a week of these foods.
Oily fish is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and other goodies are a Health Trip favourite. Primarily anti-inflammatory which makes them a fine food for almost any chronic disease as well as cardiovascular health and cancer – there is a whole show on this in the archives.
Can’t eat fish? There is a lot of hype around vegetarian alternative such asflax seed and pomegranates but these contain short-chain ALA’s. The link above goes into the pros and cons of these but the take home message is that you may need additional nutrients such as zinc, E and B6 to metabolise these so they don’t end up creating inflammation in the body.
Tomatoes are one of the most over used fruits in the Australian and American diets. Just as well that it is abundant in lycopenes, yet another of those clever antioxidants. Lycopene has been identified, like broccoli, in the prevention of prostate cancer. More interestingly the combination of tomatoes and broccoli has been found to have an even more powerful anti-tumour effect. Next time you are making a napoli sauce, add some broccoli – even better serve it on a bed of quinoa or brown rice for an even healthier meal.
Soy is the most controversial of the superfoods and possibly because the most popular sources of it are also the most refined. Soy milk, powder (eg: in protein bars) and tofu have their detractors but the whole bean cooked or fermented (in tempeh or miso) is a healthy way to get a dose of phytooestrogens, an important nutrient to ease the effects of menopause.
My article on the tofu, phytooestrogens and dementia issues pulls apart the latest research and contains links to many strands of the debate.
If it is not called a Superfood, does it mean it is not as good?
What promotes a food from just ordinary to super is research. While all commonly eaten plant foods are packed full of nutrients scientists (or their funding bodies) currently don’t find carrots or beetroot – two vegetables abundant in vitamins and fibre – on the top of their list. However tea, coffee and chocolate producers have had a lot more resources to splash around, hence their rise in popularity. On that note – the caffeine in these three foods tends to negate some of the benefits if you are after a medicinal dose of antioxidants from these substances.
Nuts, seeds, sprouts, avocado, spinach, papaya are common inclusions on most superfood lists. Others spruik yoghurt, due to the natural probiotics and their benefits to the gut. However other fermented foods like sauerkraut and miso can have a similar action, it is just that they aren’t backed by such a powerful industry.
Why stop at superfoods? How about we consider some Super-meals. These would be ones containing a variety of dark coloured vegetables, a sprinkling of sprouts, some fatty fish, whole grains or raw seeds and finished with some berries or other intensely coloured fruit.
Let me know what your favourite Super-meals are.
Monday, January 21, 2008
fishy facts and omega-3 fats
The past decade has had many contenders for the title of “superfood” and while there will never be an agreement as to which should get the crown – fish is certainly a finalist. We are told, it is rich in health giving anti-inflammatory oils and provides protein without the so-called bad fats abundant in land animals. The biggest selling point for seafood is that is contains the long chain omega -3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA).
What’s so important about omega-3 fatty acids?
This is an essential fatty acid, meaning that our body needs it to survive – like vitamins but unfortunately we can’t make it, so have to rely on getting it from our diet. Omega-3 fats build hormones, are a vital anti-inflammatory chemical and are implicated in the prevention of many serious health problems such as heart disease, asthma, arthritis and even psychiatric conditions to name but a few. These fats are also essential nutrients for babies and children’s nervous system development and are also highly concentrated in the retina of our eyes.
While some plant foods, especially nuts and seeds, a good sources of omega-3’s this is in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) a short chain fatty acid, which the body then needs to convert to DHA and EPA to do all the good stuff. There are many complicated biochemical factors to make this occur and without a variety nutrients (including Vitamin E, B6 and zinc) and enzymes (that our body has less of as adults) ALA may end up creating inflammatory prostaglandins which could be involved in diseases such as some cancers and other serious conditions.
The omega-3 picture gets even more complicated by it’s relationship with another fatty acid, omega-6. Omega-6 fats are also implicated in some circumstances, by creating inflammation so when looking at fatty acids the greatest benefit comes when there is a higher ratio of omega-3’s to omega 6’s.p
Do all fish have good amounts of DHA and EPA?
Shellfish are not known to be particularly high in long chain omega-3’s however a standard serve of (see analysis below) some mussels and oysters have been shown to have a fair amount but prawns are comparatively lower.
It is widely acknowledged that the best source of long chain omega-3’s come from deep sea, fatty fish. According to the Choice study, the best fish sources in Australia to give about 500mg of EPA and DHA per serve, include:
Gemfish
Mackerel
Mullet
Oreo dory
Sardines
Swordfish
Trevally
Atlantic salmon (though this may be debatable depending on what farmed fish are raised on)
Bonito (study done on fresh fish rather than dried flakes used in Japanese cooking)
Other fish will have lower levels of DHA and EPH and are still a good source of protein and other nutrients.
What about tinned fish?
Tinned mackerel, pink and red salmon and sardines are good sources of omega-3’s, though not always tuna – the most widely eaten tinned fish in this country.
The tuna issue is interesting. The omega-3 content can be variable and it is not primarily the canning process to blame for this. Other fish are tinned in a similar, high heat process and seem to be reliable sources of long-chain omega-3’s.
The following extract from the Omega-3 Centre website attempts to explain the variations of EPA and DHA levels in tinned tuna.
There are at least 7 good reasons for the variability of Omega-3s in canned tuna
1. There are different species of tuna with different levels of Omega-3s
A CSIRO analysis indicates, for example, that Yellowfin tuna contains 114mg EPA and DHA (the long chain Omega-3s) per 100g and Southern bluefin tuna contains 219mg EPA and DHA*.
2. There are seasonal variations in tuna's Omega-3 content
The age of the fish will make a difference too.
3. Different canning plants use different methods to clean and cook tuna
The cleaning and cooking process prior to canning may cause some oil to be lost from the fish. This oil, which contains Omega-3s, used to be simply discarded or burnt as fuel but nowadays this valuable resource is often collected, refined and re-enters the food supply. Note that there is no deliberate removal of Omega-3s in the canning process.
4. The Omega-3 rich part of the tuna - the dark meat - may not be included in canned tuna
Many consumers do not like the look or taste of the dark tuna meat so manufacturers do not include this part in specific canned tuna products. The amount of Omega-3 rich oil can vary 5-fold depending on which part of the tuna is analysed.
5. Tuna may be sliced or, cut into chunks - this can affect how much Omega-3 is lost
The greater the surface area, the greater are the likely Omega-3 losses.
6. The Omega-3s in tuna canned in oil can dissolve into the oil and are lost when the oil is drained off
7. The analytical method to identify the levels of long chain Omega-3s is difficult and requires specific types of equipment
Check the label of canned fish and other foods that you think may contain the important Omega-3 nutrients to compare how much is actually there. If there is no listing in the Nutrition Panel on-pack it could mean the product has none or few Omega-3s.
* Nichols PD, Virtue P, Mooney BD, Elliott NG, Yearsley GK. Seafood: The good food. CSIRO Marine Research, 1998
Is frozen fish a good source of omega-3’s?
A Choice study (2005) of frozen fish fillets available in supermarkets found most were from white, low omega-3, fish such as hoki. The low omega-3 content was not because the fish was frozen, rather because most did not use oily fish. The study also noted, when price per gram was taken into account – it would usually be cheaper to eat fresh fish instead.
Can you get long-chain Omega-3’s from other sources?
There are now a number of enriched foods, mostly baby foods, yoghurt and bread on the market.
From the Omega Centre – amounts of omega-3’s in common foods.
Total long chain Omega-3 content of some common foods
Seafoods mg/100g
King salmon *
Greenshell/lipped mussels 950 #
Hoki (Blue grenadier) 410
Gemfish 400
Blue eye cod 310
Sydney rock oysters 300
Tuna canned 230
Snapper 220
Barramundi saltwater 100
Giant tiger prawn 100
Eggs regular 80
Turkey 30
Beef 20
Milk regular 0
Cereals, rice, pasta, etc 0
Vegetables 0
Source: Fatty acid database, RMIT University _* Massey University analysis _# NZ Crop & Food analysis_^ Check labels of Omega-3 enriched foods
NB: omega-3’s vary in both type and quantity in eggs. A free ranging chook who eats greens and worms will produce a more nutritious egg.
Grass raised red meat are better sources than grain fed animals.
How much omega-3 do we need?
The standard recommendation for women is 90 mg/day and 160 mg/day for men, however authorities like the Omega-3 Centre suggest for disease prevention and treatment it is more like 430 mg/day for women and 610 mg/day for men.
What’s so important about omega-3 fatty acids?
This is an essential fatty acid, meaning that our body needs it to survive – like vitamins but unfortunately we can’t make it, so have to rely on getting it from our diet. Omega-3 fats build hormones, are a vital anti-inflammatory chemical and are implicated in the prevention of many serious health problems such as heart disease, asthma, arthritis and even psychiatric conditions to name but a few. These fats are also essential nutrients for babies and children’s nervous system development and are also highly concentrated in the retina of our eyes.
While some plant foods, especially nuts and seeds, a good sources of omega-3’s this is in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) a short chain fatty acid, which the body then needs to convert to DHA and EPA to do all the good stuff. There are many complicated biochemical factors to make this occur and without a variety nutrients (including Vitamin E, B6 and zinc) and enzymes (that our body has less of as adults) ALA may end up creating inflammatory prostaglandins which could be involved in diseases such as some cancers and other serious conditions.
The omega-3 picture gets even more complicated by it’s relationship with another fatty acid, omega-6. Omega-6 fats are also implicated in some circumstances, by creating inflammation so when looking at fatty acids the greatest benefit comes when there is a higher ratio of omega-3’s to omega 6’s.p
Do all fish have good amounts of DHA and EPA?
Shellfish are not known to be particularly high in long chain omega-3’s however a standard serve of (see analysis below) some mussels and oysters have been shown to have a fair amount but prawns are comparatively lower.
It is widely acknowledged that the best source of long chain omega-3’s come from deep sea, fatty fish. According to the Choice study, the best fish sources in Australia to give about 500mg of EPA and DHA per serve, include:
Gemfish
Mackerel
Mullet
Oreo dory
Sardines
Swordfish
Trevally
Atlantic salmon (though this may be debatable depending on what farmed fish are raised on)
Bonito (study done on fresh fish rather than dried flakes used in Japanese cooking)
Other fish will have lower levels of DHA and EPH and are still a good source of protein and other nutrients.
What about tinned fish?
Tinned mackerel, pink and red salmon and sardines are good sources of omega-3’s, though not always tuna – the most widely eaten tinned fish in this country.
The tuna issue is interesting. The omega-3 content can be variable and it is not primarily the canning process to blame for this. Other fish are tinned in a similar, high heat process and seem to be reliable sources of long-chain omega-3’s.
The following extract from the Omega-3 Centre website attempts to explain the variations of EPA and DHA levels in tinned tuna.
There are at least 7 good reasons for the variability of Omega-3s in canned tuna
1. There are different species of tuna with different levels of Omega-3s
A CSIRO analysis indicates, for example, that Yellowfin tuna contains 114mg EPA and DHA (the long chain Omega-3s) per 100g and Southern bluefin tuna contains 219mg EPA and DHA*.
2. There are seasonal variations in tuna's Omega-3 content
The age of the fish will make a difference too.
3. Different canning plants use different methods to clean and cook tuna
The cleaning and cooking process prior to canning may cause some oil to be lost from the fish. This oil, which contains Omega-3s, used to be simply discarded or burnt as fuel but nowadays this valuable resource is often collected, refined and re-enters the food supply. Note that there is no deliberate removal of Omega-3s in the canning process.
4. The Omega-3 rich part of the tuna - the dark meat - may not be included in canned tuna
Many consumers do not like the look or taste of the dark tuna meat so manufacturers do not include this part in specific canned tuna products. The amount of Omega-3 rich oil can vary 5-fold depending on which part of the tuna is analysed.
5. Tuna may be sliced or, cut into chunks - this can affect how much Omega-3 is lost
The greater the surface area, the greater are the likely Omega-3 losses.
6. The Omega-3s in tuna canned in oil can dissolve into the oil and are lost when the oil is drained off
7. The analytical method to identify the levels of long chain Omega-3s is difficult and requires specific types of equipment
Check the label of canned fish and other foods that you think may contain the important Omega-3 nutrients to compare how much is actually there. If there is no listing in the Nutrition Panel on-pack it could mean the product has none or few Omega-3s.
* Nichols PD, Virtue P, Mooney BD, Elliott NG, Yearsley GK. Seafood: The good food. CSIRO Marine Research, 1998
Is frozen fish a good source of omega-3’s?
A Choice study (2005) of frozen fish fillets available in supermarkets found most were from white, low omega-3, fish such as hoki. The low omega-3 content was not because the fish was frozen, rather because most did not use oily fish. The study also noted, when price per gram was taken into account – it would usually be cheaper to eat fresh fish instead.
Can you get long-chain Omega-3’s from other sources?
There are now a number of enriched foods, mostly baby foods, yoghurt and bread on the market.
From the Omega Centre – amounts of omega-3’s in common foods.
Total long chain Omega-3 content of some common foods
Seafoods mg/100g
King salmon *
Greenshell/lipped mussels 950 #
Hoki (Blue grenadier) 410
Gemfish 400
Blue eye cod 310
Sydney rock oysters 300
Tuna canned 230
Snapper 220
Barramundi saltwater 100
Giant tiger prawn 100
Eggs regular 80
Turkey 30
Beef 20
Milk regular 0
Cereals, rice, pasta, etc 0
Vegetables 0
Source: Fatty acid database, RMIT University _* Massey University analysis _# NZ Crop & Food analysis_^ Check labels of Omega-3 enriched foods
NB: omega-3’s vary in both type and quantity in eggs. A free ranging chook who eats greens and worms will produce a more nutritious egg.
Grass raised red meat are better sources than grain fed animals.
How much omega-3 do we need?
The standard recommendation for women is 90 mg/day and 160 mg/day for men, however authorities like the Omega-3 Centre suggest for disease prevention and treatment it is more like 430 mg/day for women and 610 mg/day for men.
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