fatty acids affect cardiac function (including antiarrhythmic effects), hemodynamics (cardiac mechanics), and arterial endothelial function have helped clarify potential mechanisms of action. The present Statement will address distinctions between plant-derived (-linolenic acid, C18:3n-3) and marine-derived (eicosapentaenoic acid, C20:5n-3 [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid, C22:6n-3 [DHA]) omega-3 fatty acids. (Unless otherwise noted, the term omega-3 fatty acids will refer to the latter.) Evidence from epidemiological studies and RCTs will be reviewed, and recommendations reflecting the current state of knowledge will be made with regard to both fish consumption and omega-3 fatty acid (plant- and marine-derived) supplementation. This will be done in the context of recent guidance issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the presence of environmental contaminants in certain species of fish.

http://www.hearthealthynaturalbeef.com/americanheartassociationnov192002.pdf

Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and Cardiovascular Disease

Oxidative stress is a phenomenon caused by an imbalance between production and accumulation of oxygen reactive species (ROS) in cells and tissues and the ability of a biological system to detoxify these reactive products. ROS can play, and in fact they do it, several physiological roles (i.e., cell signaling), and they are normally generated as by-products of oxygen metabolism; despite this, environmental stressors (i.e., UV, ionizing radiations, pollutants, and heavy metals) and xenobiotics (i.e., antiblastic drugs) contribute to greatly increase ROS production, therefore causing the imbalance that leads to cell and tissue damage (oxidative stress). Several antioxidants have been exploited in recent years for their actual or supposed beneficial effect against oxidative stress, such as vitamin E, flavonoids, and polyphenols. While we tend to describe oxidative stress just as harmful for human body, it is true as well that it is exploited as a therapeutic approach to treat clinical conditions such as cancer, with a certain degree of clinical success. In this review, we will describe the most recent findings in the oxidative stress field, highlighting both its bad and good sides for human health.

/pdf/oxidative-stress-harms-and-benefits-for-human-health-1njoes208u.pdf

Oxidative Stress: Harms and Benefits for Human Health

This article is a review of the fundamental chemistry of the tocopherols and tocotrienols relevant to their antioxidant action. Despite the general agreement that α-tocopherol is the most efficient antioxidant and vitamin E homologuein vivo, there was always a considerable discrepancy in its “absolute” and “relative” antioxidant effectivenessin vitro, especially when compared to γ-tocopherol. Many chemical, physical, biochemical, physicochemical, and other factors seem responsible for the observed discrepancy between the relative antioxidant potencies of the tocopherolsin vivo andin vitro. This paper aims at highlighting some possible reasons for the observed differences between the tocopherols (α-, β-, γ-, and δ-) in relation to their interactions with the important chemical species involved in lipid peroxidation, specifically trace metal ions, singlet oxygen, nitrogen oxides, and antioxidant synergists. Although literature reports related to the chemistry of the tocotrienols are quite meager, they also were included in the discussion in virtue of their structural and functional resemblance to the tocopherols.

The chemistry and antioxidant properties of tocopherols and tocotrienols

http://www.applepolyphenols.com/docs/Study-%20Flavanoid%20Intake%20and%20the%20Risk%20of%20Chronic%20Disease.pdf

Flavonoid intake and risk of chronic diseases

Essential fatty acids in health and chronic disease

Available data on phytosterols from the world's literature have been compiled and summarized. There still exists a paucity of data on the quantities of plant sterols in many foods. More extensive data are available on the relative sterol composition. Our compilation shows that plant oils are excellent sources of phytosterols. Nuts and seeds contain moderate levels, and fruits and vegetables generally contain the lowest concentrations of plant sterols. Analyses of the minor sterols, namely, the delta5- and delta7-phytosterols, have become available only recently.

Sterol content of foods of plant origin

Tables showing representative values for the vitamin E content of human foods have been developed from all the available reliable information. These tables cover animal products, plant products, fats and oils, baked products, infant foods, and mixed dishes. The effects on vitamin E content are discussed for heating and storage of dairy products, grains, vegetables, and plant oils; for the refining of plant oils; and for the processing and baking of grain products. Causes of variation in vitamin E levels are presented and the distribution of the different forms of vitamin E in foods is shown. The biologic activities of these forms are used to calculate approximate vitamin activity values of representative foods.

Vitamin E content of foods.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is searching the world literature published since 1960 for data on food lipids and their fatty acid composition. These data are being used to update and expand the national tables of food composition and to establish a computerized nutrient data bank. Customarily, investigators report fatty acid data in terms of weight percent of total methyl esters. For the benefit of users of nutrient tables, relative amounts of com-ponent fatty acid esters should be converted to grams fatty acid (as free acid) per 100 grams food. For this purpose, conversion factors, defined as the weight of fatty acids in 1 gram of fat, were derived for various food products. Derivation of, and basis for, factors and their application are described for selected food products. Variables affecting factors are also dis-cussed. Investigators should include, in reports on fatty acid composition of foods, information on total lipid content and on the fatty acid content of the lipid. The latter values are readily obtained by a saponification procedure, complete acid hydrolysis, or if desired, by lipid class analysis.

Lipid conversion factors for calculating fatty acid contents of foods

Analysis and distribution of vitamin E in vegetable oils and foods

An extensive tabulation provides provisional data on the content of omega-3 fatty acids and other lipids (cholesterol, total fat, and total saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids) in numerous seafood products (finfish, crustaceans, mollusks, fish oils) and in a variety of non-seafood foods (meats, cereals, dairy/egg products, fats and oils, legumes, nuts/seeds, vegetables). The values are based on 100 g edible portions of the raw foods, and were compiled from published revised sections of USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 8.(wz)

John L. Weihrauch

Papers

Sterol content of foods of plant origin

Vitamin E content of foods.

Lipid conversion factors for calculating fatty acid contents of foods

Analysis and distribution of vitamin E in vegetable oils and foods

Provisional tables on the content of omega-3 fatty acids and other fat components of selected foods