Omega-3 Brain-Boosting Basil Sauce
Recipe by Danielle Lavallee
Omega-3 fatty acids are critical for brain and heart health. These polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) are brain boosters, stimulating the brain to produce important nerve grown factors that promote neuroplasticity. They have also been implicated in regulating and reducing inflammation levels in the brain by lowering the concentration of pro-inflammatory molecules. A lack of Omega-3 PUFAs has been consistently associated with depression. Studies have also found that they decrease blood triglycerides, improve heart health, and they even reduce the risk of dementia.
There are two types of Omega-3 PUFAs. The first, ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), comes from plants, such as flaxseeds, hemp hearts, walnuts, and chia seeds. ALA is considered essential, as our body does not make it, so we must get it from our food. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are the second type of Omega-3 PUFAs. Our bodies can produce EPA and DHA from the ALA we consume in our foods. However, the body’s ability to convert ALA is limited. Only about 5% of ALA is converted to EPA, while less than 0.5% is converted to DHA. Luckily, food sources are also available to obtain EPA and DHA, including seafood (especially wild caught salmon, small oily fish like anchovies, and some shellfish). You can also ensure adequate intake by consuming a high quality fish-oil. Fish obtain their EPA and DHA by eating algae, so if you are an entirely plant-based eater or you are concerned with mercury levels in fish, you can skip the middle man and simply opt to take an Algae Omega supplement. As always, please consult your doctor before adding any supplements to your diet. This is not intended as medical advice.
As a society, we are sorely lacking in these essential Omega-3 fats. A recent study found that over 95% of children and 68% of adults had Omega-3 concentrations below those established in the Dietary Guidelines for America. Approximately 89% of adults had an Omega-3 Index in the high cardiovascular risk category. www.bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/5/e043301
Given that Omega-3 fat deficiencies are so pervasive and have such far-reaching health consequences, assessing our personal consumption seems prudent. Fortunately, for optimal brain health, we can easily add ALA-rich foods to our diet. In addition to flaxseeds, hemp hearts, walnuts, and chia seeds, other sources of ALA include spinach, soybeans, wild rice, navy beans, whole wheat bread, avocados, oats, and miso.
This Brain Boosting Omega-3 Basil Sauce is one of my favorite ways to up my consumption of ALA. It contains several of the major ALA power-players, including walnuts, flaxseeds, hemp hearts, and spinach. As an added bonus, the Vitamin C from the lemons increases the nutrient absorption of the leafy greens and adds a terrific immune boost. The garlic adds prebiotic fibers, much loved by our good gut bugs. And finally, the basil contributes fantastic flavor, antioxidants, and Vitamin K. This sauce is delicious, and equally importantly, it is fabulous for our brain and heart health.
Special Equipment Needed: High-Speed Blender
Ingredients:
1 large bunch of basil
An equal amount of fresh spinach
1/2 cup raw walnuts
2 TBS hemp hearts
2 TBS ground flaxseeds
Garlic to taste (I used two cloves)
The juice of three lemons
Salt to taste
Water to thin sauce to desired consistency, or you can opt to use extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, frequently scraping down the sides and adding water (or extra virgin olive oil), a tablespoon at a time, until sauce is at your desired consistency. Add salt and adjust to taste.
This sauce is totally versatile. It is excellent as a dressings on salads, it can be used as a spread on sandwiches, it is great as a dip for veggies, and I love it as a drizzle on soups. My favorite way to use it, though, is on potatoes. It is terrific on baked russet potatoes or on air-fried crispy smashed thin-skinned potatoes, like Yukon Gold, baby reds, or fingerlings.
To make crispy smashed potatoes like these, simply boil (or pressure cook) small potatoes until they are fork-tender. Be sure to leave the skins on to up their fiber content. Once they are cooked, you can bake or air fry them immediately. However, I prefer to make and then refrigerate them a day ahead, which increases their resistant starch levels. Resistant starch makes our good gut bugs happy. www.thewell-nourishedbrain.com/blog/resistant-starch
When ready to use the cooked potatoes, simply smash them with a glass until they are flat, and then either air-fry or bake them until they are crispy. No oil is needed, but feel free to add olive oil, if you desire.
I hope you enjoy this Omega-3 Brain Boosting Basil Sauce and that you will look for additional ways to add Omega-3 fats into your daily diet to increase your brain health and to ward off depression.
🌱Eating for brain health is delicious!
For additional information, please see:
www.academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/100/suppl_1/443S/4576604
www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22361189/
www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27924168/
www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28417511/
www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31383846/