"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go."
-Oscar Wilde
June 22, 2010 Oils, Oils and More Oils
Essential fatty acids are beneficial for a multitude of diseases. Since I have been blogging about cancer prevention, I want to continue with which vitamins, supplements and herbs. Flax seed oil is rich in EFA especially alpha linolenic acid (ALA). Do not confuse alpha linolenic acid with alpha lipoic acid (ALA) This is why I do not like abbreviations. Alpha lipic acid is useful in the management of diabetes. Your sources of alpha linolenic acid are flax seed oil, hemp oil and purslane. Purslane is a plant. Of course it is. It always comes back to plants.
Remember I LOVE PLANTS!!!
Portulaca oleracea (Common Purslane, also known as Verdolaga, Pigweed, Little Hogweed or Pusley), is an annual succulent in the family Portulacaceae. I need to search for this in the wild on a botany weekend. Although purslane is considered a weed in the United States, it can be eaten as a leafy vegetable, providing sources can be found which have not been poisoned deliberately. It has a slightly sour and salty taste and is eaten throughout much of Europe, Asia and Mexico.The stems, leaves and flower buds are all good to eat. I personally have tried purslane and I do like it as I love all greens. Purslane can be used fresh as a salad, stir-fried, or cooked like spinach, and because of its mucilaginous quality it is also suitable for soups and stews.
Purslane contains more Omega-3 fatty acids-- alpha-linolenic acid in particular than any other leafy vegetable plant. Research suggests that Purslane has .01 mg/g of Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). This is an extraordinary amount of EPA for land based vegetable sources. EPA is an Omega-3 fatty acid normally found in fish, some algae and flax seeds. EPA is used mainly for the treatment of heart disease, in lowering triglycerides and increasing your good cholesterol (HDL) There is one mammal source for EPA- that is the emu. So if you are opposed to eating fish or have a fish allergy, then take Emu Oil. Another important reason to avoid large fish especially tuna and swordfish and the crustaceans (crabs, lobsters, shrimp) is the level of mercury. I recommend checking out www.vitalchoice.com
Purslane also contains vitamins (mainly vitamin A, vitamin C, and some vitamin B and carotenoids), as well as dietary minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, potassium and iron. Thus purslane is beneficial in many aspects. Also present are two types of betalain alkaloid pigments, the reddish betacyanins (visible in the coloration of the stems) and the yellow betaxanthins (noticeable in the flowers and in the slight yellowish cast of the leaves). Both of these pigment types are potent antioxidants and have been found to have antimutagenic properties in laboratory studies.
Some important facts about Purslane:
100 grams of fresh purslane leaves (about 1 cup) contain 300 to 400 mg of alpha-linolenic acid One cup of cooked leaves contains 90 mg of calcium, 561 mg of potassium, and more than 2,000 IUs of vitamin A. One half cup of purslane leaves contains as much as 910 mg of oxalate, a compound implicated in the formation of kidney stones. Do NOT overdue on the purslane. Remember berries also contain an increased amount of oxalates.
EFA are totally ignored in patients with cancer. So the point is whether you have cancer or not you should supplements with EFA's. I think the easiest way to get flaxseed in your system is to use 1 - 2 teasspoons oil or ground flaxseed. You can add the ground flaxseed to your cereal, goat/ sheep yogurt or your protein shake in the morning.
Enjoy the purslane
Thanks Diane, love Melissa officinale (Lemon balm) Love the smell of this plant!
Until tomorrow...
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