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NUTRITIOUS HEMP OIL IS EMERGING AS ALTERNATIVE TO TOXIN-TAINTED FISH
New Study Finds Mercury Pollution Is a Serious Health Risk for Those
That Eat Fish
Sebastopol, CA– Although consumption of fish is widely touted by medical
and nutrition experts as good for the heart and overall health, in large
part due to its content of essential fatty acids, more and more medical
studies are raising concerns due to toxic levels of mercury in fish.
Both USA Today and the San Francisco Chronicle featured this in November
2002 articles that highlighted yet another scientific study warning of
the dangers of mercury in fish. The good news is that there is a
healthy alternative to provide the essential fatty acids and other key
nutrients recommended by leading medical experts that is becoming widely
available in the U.S.: Organic Hemp Oil.
The recent fish mercury study, published in Environmental Health
Perspectives, demonstrates the occurrence of dangerous human mercury
blood concentrations associated with fish consumption. “We found that
if people eat fish, the mercury (level in their blood) goes up. They
stop eating the fish, the mercury goes down,” said the author of the
study, Dr. Jane Hightower, a doctor of internal medicine at California
Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. The subjects of the study were
eating a diet high in canned tuna, salmon, swordfish, sea bass, halibut
and tuna steaks. A CNN article recently reported that some fish, such
as “farm-raised” fish, often contain significantly higher levels of
toxins than wild fish.
Mercury pollution is an emerging environment and health problem caused
by many man-made sources including coal-burning power plants and waste
incinerator emissions. Mercury accumulates in the food chain, with large
fish typically containing the highest amounts. Mercury can harm the
human brain and the entire nervous system, contributing to behavioral
problems and impairments of the immune and reproductive systems and
cardiovascular disease. Federal agencies have been warning pregnant
women to reduce ingestion of fish due to the potential for toxic
contamination that may impair development of the baby’s brain
functions. With the federal government blocking regulations to reduce
toxic emissions from power plants, this health crisis will only increase
in importance to Americans.
The study results have created a serious dilemma for medical experts
that have supported fish consumption as a key component of a healthy
diet. The findings highlight the need for toxin-free alternative foods
that can substitute for the nutrient profile of fish. “Organic hemp oil
is a clean and healthy fish alternative for consumers concerned about
the high level of mercury and other toxic contaminants in fish,” notes
John W. Roulac, Founder and President of Nutiva, America’s leading hemp
food brand. “Hemp oil’s essential fatty acid profile is closer to fish
oil than any other vegetable oil,” he adds. Nutiva uses certified
organic, non-GMO Canadian hempseed that is grown without the use of
harsh pesticides and herbicides, and therefore is free of dangerous
chemical residues (www.nutiva.com).
WHY “EFAS” FOUND IN HEMP & FISH ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR THE MODERN DIET
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are components of fat that humans need to
be healthy, however, our bodies can’t produce them and therefore they
must be obtained through the diet. EFAs come in 2 families, called
omega-6 and omega-3. Medical professionals including the renowned Dr.
Andrew Weil recommend hemp oil due to its ideal omega-6 to omega-3 EFA
ratio. In the respected book Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill, nutrition
expert Udo Erasmus states, “The best-balanced plant source of EFA’s is
hemp seed oil.” While health officials with the World Health
Organization, Canada, Japan and Sweden recommend a 4:1 ratio, hemp oil’s
3:1 ratio is the closest of any naturally occurring oil.
It is estimated that 90% of Americans do not consume enough omega-3,
known as the “good fats" doctors recommend as part of a balanced diet.
Hemp oil is one of the few seed oils containing significant quantities
(20%) of alpha-linolenic acid, an important omega-3 EFA. Hemp oil is
also the source of a rare super omega-3 EFA called stearidonic acid (SDA)
that is the “first metabolite” in the omega-3 family and therefore easy
for the body to process. Omega-6 EFAs are frequently added to foods
through the use of common vegetable oils like corn, sunflower, and
safflower, however, many people are unable to properly utilize omega-6
oils because enzymes needed to metabolize these oils are hampered by
stress, environmental toxicity or aging. Hemp oil is a unique plant
source of the rare and valuable super omega-6 EFA called gamma-linolenic
acid (GLA) that is easy for the body to process and it bypasses the
enzymatic blocks to allow proper omega-6 utilization. GLA is the key
regulator of T-lymphocyte functions in the immune system and is involved
in cell metabolism and growth.
There are other vegetable-based alternatives that also deliver EFAs.
Flax oil is widely recognized as a valuable nutritional supplement,
primarily because it contains more than 50% omega-3. But unlike hemp,
it has somewhat overpowering taste and hemp oil is more stable and has
double the shelf life of flax. Hemp’s emerald green oil has a “nutty”
flavor and is great for use in salad dressings, pasta, veggies, sauces,
dips and smoothies.
A TASTE OF NATURE – HEALTHY HEMP OIL RECIPES
Creamy Organic Hemp Oil Salad Dressings
2 tablespoons Nutiva hemp oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tahini (raw sesame butter)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon miso
1/8 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
dash of celtic sea salt
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a glass jar, stir and serve on
salads, vegetables and grains. Store any remaining dressing in the
refrigerator. Also consider adding cayenne pepper, lemon juice and/or
coconut oil.
Hemp / Almond Pesto
1/2 cup toasted Nutiva shelled hempseeds
2/3 cup sliced almonds
1 bunch basil leaves
3 tablespoons hemp oil
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
Directions: Crush seeds, almonds, basil, hemp oil, and olive oil to a
paste with a pestle in a mortar. Mix in the Parmesan. Heat pesto in a
pot, being careful not to over-cook it. Remove from stove, mix in hemp
oil, and then serve this tasty sauce over your favorite pasta. Consider
adding finely cut tomato cubes to add a refreshing taste and color.
Turkish Yogurt Sauce
1 cup yogurt
3 tablespoons Nutiva hemp oil
1 clove garlic
dash of celtic sea salt
dash freshly ground pepper
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Serve with
spinach, kale or cucumbers over rice.
For more recipe ideas, please see Hemp Foods & Oils for Health, a book
by Leson, Pless w/Roulac and or visit
www.nutiva.com
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