Can people lose weight and still eat fatty foods? Is it true that fats are good for our skin and hair? What is the best way to reduce cholesterol?
These are just some of the questions people may wish to pose to world renowned nutritionist Udo Erasmus when he gives a public health presentation on “The Fats of life” at the Radisson Blu Hotel on April 24 at 7.30pm.
The author of the groundbreaking Fats that Heal; Fats that Kill he will share the knowledge he has amassed after 30 years of research and study.
He will explain the importance of fats to health before opening the floor for a question and answer session.
Admission is €10 and people will receive a free copy of his recently published Irish recipe book “Udo’s Choice® Delicious Recipes for all the Family”. People can also speak to him personally after the presentation.
A life altering experience changed the course of Mr Erasmus’ life in 1980. While spraying pesticides he was severely poisoned and nearly died. His health was so severely impacted that it took several years of treatment and “trial and error” to restore it. During this time he researched different aspects of health and came to realise the vital importance of essential fatty acids to ongoing health.
This research culminated in the publication of his first book Fats and Oils in 1986. Additional research led him to update this seven years later when he published Fats that Heal; Fats that Kill to popular acclaim.
In 2008 he co-wrote Omega3Cuisine - recipes for health and pleasure with renowned Canadian chef Alan Roettinger. It offers a comprehensive collection of easy to prepare recipes using fresh ingredients rich in essential fatty acids.
He asked all his Irish fans last year to give him their favourite healthy recipes and in January he published 21 of them in a booklet entitled Udo’s Choice® Delicious recipes for all the Family. This is now available in healthfood stores and pharmacies nationwide.
Udo Erasmus likens the body to a permanent construction site where about 98 per cent of the molecules in the body are removed and replaced every year. This means that anyone who pays attention to eating the right foods can contribute to the healing ability of their body, he says.
He identifies minerals, essential amino acids and essential fatty acids as the building blocks of life. As the body does not manufacture them we must source them from foods and supplements.
Stressing the importance of consuming food in an “undamaged form” he says it should be prepared and cooked in a way that protects its nutrients because “even good food can be rendered harmful when prepared in ways that alter its natural state”.
He is a great believer in using extra virgin olive oil, water and wine when preparing food and cooking at a low heat to help prevent it from becoming charred or burned. Hence his mantra “Bin your frying pan!”
He also pioneered technology which enabled the pressing and packing of fresh oils in an environment free of light, heat and oxygen. This was a major technological advance at the time as light, heat, and oxygen can turn oils toxic.
Using this new technology Mr Erasmus created Udo’s Choice® Ultimate Oil Blend, using the oil derived from flax, sunflower and sesame seeds. Popularly known as Udo’s Oil, it contains omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids in the ideal proportion 2:1:1. Acclaimed worldwide for its quality, many consumers reference its effectiveness in helping them with cholesterol, joint pain and skin problems.
