Catching up with omegas

I always feel decades younger when I'm with Evelyn Tribole. Her positive energy and well-researched advice make me feel like I could climb Mount Everest.

Tribole is a nutrition consultant, award-winning registered dietitian and author. She tackles omega-3 issues in her latest book, "The Ultimate Omega-3 Diet" (McGraw Hill, $23.95). She says omega-3 fats can supercharge health, battle inflammation and maintain sharp minds.

My doctor says that, too, questioning me at every visit about whether I'm slugging down my wild salmon oil capsules.

I spent time recently with Tribole at her Irvine home to find out how diet and cooking might play a role in fine-tuning my omega-3 consumption. A luscious meal sounds much more satisfying than a handful of blimp-shaped pills.

And that's in line with her thinking. Years ago, she participated in a seminar that included Julia Child along with other food and health professionals. The goal was to consider taste in matters of health, and health in the matters of taste.

"We discussed taste satisfaction," Tribole said. "When people have satisfying meals, they aren't foraging afterward for more."

I'm always on board with the objective of creating luscious meals. So while she showed me how to create an irresistible spinach salad napped with a fish-oil charged raspberry vinaigrette (don't wince, it is delicious), I asked questions.

Q: Are omega-3 fats a vitamin?

A: Yes, they are like vitamins. When they were first discovered in the 1920s, they were called vitamin F. But politics and excitement over vitamin E, which was discovered at the same time, led to the demise of that nomenclature. Too bad the name didn't stick, because it would have emblazoned its importance in everyone's mind. Every cell in our bodies requires it.

Q: American diets are often rich in omega-6 fats, and that's a problem?

A: Yes, today we eat fats that didn't exist 100 years ago. Consequently, Americans eat a diet too high in omega-6 fats. Omega-6 fats have flooded our food supply in the forms of margarine, soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil and sunflower oil. The main type of fat found in polyunsaturated fats is omega-6s. We call these healthy fats, but too much so-called healthy fats hamper omega-3's benefits.

Keep in mind that the Mediterranean pattern of eating — which is associated with many health benefits — is low in omega-6 fats. That's because their chief oil is olive oil.

Q: You call the consumption of too much omega-6 fatty acids the omega-6 fat syndrome. So how much should I limit omega-6 fats?

A: Eating just two slices of whole-wheat bread meets your omega-6 needs for the day. The easiest way to limit omega-6 fats is to use olive oil as your main cooking oil. And choose foods that use either olive oil or canola oil. Both are lower in omega-6 fat.

Q: There are different types of omega-3 fats, right?

A: The types of omega-3 fatty acids found in plant foods are very different from those found in fish. So if you are tanking up on plant sources, such as flaxseed oil or flax meal, you still could be deficient in other omega-3 fats that are found primarily in fish.

Q: So how much fish should we be eating?

A: Ten ounces of fish a week is what your body needs. That's two good servings of fatty fish, such as halibut or salmon. Wild fish is best, but farmed fish is OK; the benefits still outweigh the hazards.

Q: What do you suggest for people who hate to eat fish?

A: I have patients who hate fish. That is why I've been experimenting with fish oil — high-potency fish oil that has a strong lemon flavor. Often I use the Nutra Sea Fish Oil Lemon Flavor that's sold at Mother's Markets or Whole Foods. I tell patients to hear me out before they start rolling their eyes and gagging. There are also algae-based supplements, which provide a vegan source of DHA and EPA.

Q: What if we just take the salmon oil capsules? Do they replace eating the fish? And if we take capsules, how much should we take?

A: Since there is no standard fish oil supplement, whatever fish oil source you take, be sure to look for the amount of EPA and DHA on the label. Those are the two key omega-3 fatty acids. Aim for a combined total of 650 milligrams a day. Up to 3,000 milligrams is considered "generally recognized as safe" by the FDA.

I'd still recommend eating fish, as you are getting a symphony of nutrients beyond omega-3 fats, such as vitamin D and protein.

Q: What about vegetarians?

A: Strict vegetarians will need to take a supplement — algae-based supplements are a vegan source of DHA and EPA. For those vegetarians who eat eggs and milk, there are dairy products in the grocery store that are fortified with DHA.

• • •

Tribole appreciates good chocolate. She says these omega-3-rich brownies are the best she has ever made. She advises that the quality of the chocolate is crucial to provide the best taste and texture: chocolate brands, she says, such as Scharffen Berger, Ghirardelli or Valrhona — or her new favorite, a 17-ounce bar of Belgian chocolate at Trader Joe's. To enrich the treats with omega-3, flax meal is mixed with the flour, and omega-3-enriched eggs are used. Instead of butter, canola oil and applesauce are incorporated into the batter.

INCREDIBLE OMEGA BROWNIES

Yield: 12 brownies

Canola oil nonstick spray

1⁄4 cup canola oil

4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), coarsely chopped

1 cup granulated sugar

1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons flax meal

1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

2 omega-3-enriched eggs

1 egg white

1⁄4 cup applesauce

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square pan with canola oil nonstick spray.

In medium-size bowl that can be used in the microwave, combine oil and chocolate. Microwave on high power for 30 seconds; stir thoroughly to combine. If chocolate is not smooth and melted, microwave again for 30 seconds and stir. Set aside to cool.

In large bowl, combine sugar, flour, flax meal, baking power and salt; stir to combine. In a medium bow, combine eggs, egg white, applesauce and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Add a small dollop of chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Repeat process until all chocolate is mixed together with the egg mixture. Add this to the flour mixture. Whisk until smooth.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Scatter walnuts on top. Bake 25 minutes. Cool brownies completely in pan and then cut into 12 bars.

• • •

Tribole loves this perky raspberry vinaigrette that she augments with lemony fish oil. She uses it to dress crisp baby spinach (spinach is rich in plant-based omega-3s), then tops the salad with dried cranberries. She says grilled salmon or chicken could also rest atop the salad. Or, she says, you could add a thin slice of goat cheese or some sliced almonds. She suggests that, if you prefer, you could use your favorite olive-oil based vinaigrette augmented with lemon-flavored fish oil. And I have to say, the fish oil doesn't taste "fishy." It tastes like lemons.

EVELYN'S RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE

Yield: About 2⁄3 cup

1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1⁄4 cup raspberry vinegar

1 teaspoon lemon-flavored fish oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1⁄4 teaspoon dried oregano

Dash lemon pepper

1⁄4 cup sugar, see cook's notes

Cook's notes: If you wish, instead of sugar, substitute Stevia or agave syrup, to taste.

Procedure

In a small bowl or measuring cup with a handle, whisk olive oil and vinegar together.

In a separate small bowl, combine fish oil, mustard, oregano and lemon pepper; stir to blend. Stir in sugar. Whisk mustard mixture into olive oil mixture; taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

For a spinach salad, add just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the clean baby spinach leaves. Tribole likes to remove the stems from the base of the leaves; she thinks the spinach tastes better that way.

• • •

Tribole says this is a great dish for people who aren't "sure about fish." It's so flavorful and easy to prepare. I asked her about the amount of sugar, and she said cooks could scrimp a little on it if they preferred.

TERIYAKI-GLAZED HALIBUT

Yield: Four servings

1 teaspoon canola oil

1⁄3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1⁄2 teaspoon sesame oil

4 halibut fillets (4 ounces each)

Procedure

Preheat broiler.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine canola oil, brown sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Microwave until sugar dissolves, about 30 seconds. Pour half of sauce into a shallow baking dish. Add halibut in single layer. Pour remaining sauce over fish.

Broil fish about 4 inches from heat for about five minutes. Turn fish and baste with sauce. Broil an additional five minutes, until fish is opaque.

• • •

This pesto sauce is full-flavored and easy to make. Tribole likes to use it as a dip, dressing or spread. She also likes to spoon it over fish before baking.

OMEGA PESTO SAUCE

Yield: 12 (1 tablespoon) servings

3 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon flax meal

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons flaxseed oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1⁄2 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook's notes: Flax meal and flaxseed oil are sold at health-food stores, such as Mother's Markets and Whole Foods.

Procedure

In a food processor (fitted with the metal blade) or a blender, add all ingredients, one at a time, blending after each addition until smooth. Pesto can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for use within a couple of days.