Posted by Larry Hoover on November 27, 2002, at 9:06:32
In reply to Re: Hempseed oil?, posted by viridis on November 27, 2002, at 0:29:36
> Hi Larry,
>
> Many thanks for the insights. A lot of these oils get hyped for their health benefits, and I just don't have the time (or knowledge of biochemistry) to investigate each the way you have. I do like hempseed oil (it has a nice flavor in salad dressings), but some of the claims for its health benefits sound a bit...fishy?Hype is exactly the problem, as in hyperbole. If health quacks just gave the facts, people can make up their own minds.
> I was curious about pumpkinseed oil because it's become a trendy restaurant item, and there are a few websites that tout it as the latest miracle cure.
Not having used it, I can't make a comment on that, but I presume it has an interesting flavour. A few drops of sesame oil, for example, can totally transform a dish.
> I use a variety of oils (mostly olive and some canola for cooking, and cold-pressed olive, nut, flax, and hempseed for various non-heated condiments like salad dressings), but also take a few grams of fish oil each day, in addition to eating quite a bit of fish. It sounds like fish oil is really the way to go for direct assimilation of omega 3s.
There is nothing else to compare to it. Using a variety of oils is a good thing, but I'd avoid canola for frying. The high PUFA content makes it liable to break down under heat. Sunflower oil is an option for frying. I should check smoking temperatures and get back to you.
> OK, one more for you -- purslane (popular as a salad vegetable in Europe, mostly an ornamental or weed here) is supposed to be high in omega-3 fatty acids. Any truth to this claim, or are these again just precursors?Purslane is unique among herbs in being a good source of omega-3s. Most of that is alpha-linolenic (18:3), but there are small amounts of EPA and DHA. Trace amounts, but that suggests to me that some genetic races of this herb can contain more. I didn't see any mention of omega-6 fats. One of the factors that some have suggested as contributing to the low levels of heart disease in Mediterranean populations is the use of purslane as a potherb. BTW, portulaca, or moss rose, the garden flower, is edible. I'm not sure if it's the same species, but it's the same genus. There's also a common garden weed that's a portulaca, but I can't think of the name of it.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:129212
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021127/msgs/129563.html