RE: Dates, Omega 3-DHA???

[Guest guest]

> rawfood , Peter wrote:

> As there was no answer to my question of dates

> from a date palm being fresh or heat treated,

> may I reiterate it today?

>

> Also are flax seeds as sold in health food shops

> normally heat treated?

 

Hello Peter,

 

Most dates I've found in the stores are heat treated and they are

not fresh. The best dates I've ever tasted come from " The Date

People " in Southern California. They are cheaper than the dates sold

in stores with a price range between $3.20 per pound to $6 a pound.

They have over 40 different varieties to choose from, whenever I

order I pick a sampler box. The ordering form describes the dates as

organic, raw, rare and exotic, delicious, unfrozen, fresh,

affordable, and eco-sustainable. They don't have a web site, you can

order them by calling 760-359-3211 or FAX 760-359-3212.

 

I also have a question about omega-3 essential fats and the vegan

diet. There are three forms of omega-3 fats, and all are essential.

In his new book, Gabriel Cousens writes about the essential omega-3

fat DHA and about how it makes up 60% of our brains. The only vegan

food that contains DHA is algae. Gabriel doesn't discuss DHA much in

his new book, only mentions that DHA must be obtained through algae

or fish oil. He discusses it in " Conscious Eating " but I don't have a

copy of the book.

 

Is it essential to eat algae with a vegan diet? If not, where can DHA

be obtained? Rawfood.com lists the symptoms of DHA deficency, I don't

want to come down with those syptoms!

 

Mike

 

http://www.udoerasmus.com/FAQ.htm " The best known derivatives of n-3

are EPA and DHA, which are made by the body and are also found in

high fat, cold water fish. DHA is the major brain n-3. "

 

http://www.mercola.com/2003/nov/1/intelligence_foods.htm " Our brains

are made up of approximately 60 percent fat, and most of this fat is

either DHA or AA (arachidonic acid). AA is best obtained from

uncooked dairy products like raw butter and raw cream, but DHA is

primarily obtained from fish sources, not plant sources like flax

seed. "

 

http://www.mercola.com/forms/carlsons.htm " While a helpful form of

Omega-3 can be found in flaxseed, walnuts and a few other foods, the

most beneficial form of Omega-3 - containing two fatty acids, DHA and

EPA, that are essential to fighting and preventing both physical and

mental disease - can only be found in fish. "

 

http://www.rawfood.com/cgi-bin/order/index.cgi?

id=615099321343 & d=single & item_id=0694 & c=Supplements & sc=Miscellaneous & t

c=

" Supplement: " O-Mega-Zen3 DHA "

DHA (Decosahexaenoic Acid) is the major long-chain omega-3 fatty acid

found in the brain. Concentrated in regions that require a high

degree of electrical activity, DHA is important for signal

transmission in the brain, eye and nervous systems. It is highly

recommended for pregnant mothers and young children, as DHA is a

critical building block of young brain cells. DHA is the most

abundant omega-3 long chain fatty acid in breast milk and studies

show that breast-fed babies have IQ advantages over babies fed

formula without DHA. In Europe and Scandinavia, DHA is given to women

considering pregnancy and also to lactating mothers. European pre-

term infant formulas now contain DHA, while U.S. formulas do not. Low

levels of DHA have been linked with insufficient brain and vision

development in infants, hyperactivity, attention deficit disorders

(ADD), depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders and the worsening

of schizophrenia.

 

Normally DHA is found only in fish and fish oils, along with some

eggs and other animal products, and we have been searching for a

reliable vegan alternative. Typically, the most common vegetarian

source of omega-3 fatty acids is flax seed oil or hempseed oil. These

short-chain, seed-based, omega-3 fatty acids are the precursor to the

long-chain omega-3 DHA. However, flax seed oil is an imperfect

solution because it is converted into DHA at varying rates in

different people. Therefore, some vegetarians, vegans, and/or raw-

foodists do not produce enough long-chain omega-3 DHA to meet brain

requirements.

 

O-Mega-Zen3 DHA is derived from natural marine sources (marine

microalgae) and is combined with vitamin E for stability. It is

encapsulated in vegicaps and is a completely vegan product. DHA is

endorsed by Dr. Gabriel Cousens, who has written about DHA in the new

edition of his book Conscious Eating. The properties of DHA are also

discussed in Udo Erasmus' book Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill. The

recommended dosage is one 350 mg. capsule per day. "