Cardiovascular disease: prevention comes from Omega-3 enriched cheeses
Cardiovascular disease: here are the cheeses enriched with Omega 3
Milk and cheese can help prevent cardiovascular disease if they are fortified with Omega-3s by introducing extruded flax in cattle feed. This was affirmed by experts who gathered at the Vega Science and Technology Park in Marghera, Italy, at the "Milk, New Nutrition" conference last Feb. 29. The research that led to this conclusion is the result of a collaboration between the University of Padua, Veneto Agricoltura and Latteria di Soligo.
Cardiovascular disease: omega-3 to promote good health
Avaried and balanced diet is one of the best strategies for keeping the body healthy. In addition, some nutrients have beneficial properties that promote a state of good health. Such is the case with Omega-3s, whose benefits for the heart and vessels have been proven by years of research in the field. In fact, those who consume high amounts of these fatty acids run a lower risk of incurring heart disease. Omega-3s also prevent heart damage caused by heart attack and reduce mortality associated with this event.
Sources of Omega-3
The main sources of these valuable nutrients are fatty fish of marine origin:
- mackerel
- salmon
- halibut
- herring
Some plant-based products, such as flaxseeds and walnuts, can also be good sources of Omega-3s. There is also a whole range of dietary supplements and fortified foods that can be useful in increasing daily intake of these fatty acids. According to research presented at this conference, a viable alternative for producing Omega-3 rich foods is to introduce extruded flax, a product rich in these nutrients, into the diets of dairy cattle.
Omega-3 from milk to cheese
Researchers at the University of Padua investigated whether the Omega-3s consumed daily by cows fed extruded flax were also passed on to cheeses made from their milk. Extruded flax was chosen because it contains much higher levels of these nutrients than Omega-6, a group of fatty acids abundant in Western diets but not as beneficial as Omega-3. Lucia Bailoni, from the department of comparative biomedicine and nutrition at the University of Padua, folded that its use allowed a significant increase in Omega-3 levels. In some aged cheeses made from the milk of these cows, it was possible to reach the threshold set by the European Union of 0.3 grams of Omega-3 per 100 grams of food product.
Omega-3 cheeses to prevent cardiovascular disease
According to Bailoni, the one described at the conference is the first study to scientifically analyze the transmission of Omega-3 from milk to cheese. The enrichment approach used by the research authors is different from the traditional one, which involves adding fish oil containing high amounts of Omega-3 into milk. However, the analyses conducted concluded that this new method is also effective and results in a useful food product for cardiovascular prevention.
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