Question: I like smoked sablefish. Can you tell me how it stacks up nutritionally?
Answer: Sablefish is higher in fat and calories than many other fish. Three and half ounces has 185 calories and 14 grams of fat. In fact, it is sablefish's high fat content that makes it especially suitable for smoking. Sablefish provides protein, iron, B vitamins and an appreciable amount of vitamin A.Sablefish is found from Alaska to California, and is also known by the names blackcod and butterfish, even though it is not related either to the cod or to the Atlantic butterfish. Greenish black on top, it has a light gray underbelly. On average it weighs about 8 pounds, but can grow as large as 40 pounds.
If fat and calories are of concern to you, it would be wise to eat sablefish in moderation.
Question: My grandmother drinks cider vinegar every day. She claims it helps keep her fit and healthy. She thinks I should drink it too. Do you agree?
Answer: Cider vinegar creates an acid environment and acts as a preservative in some foods. It can add tartness to salad dressing, and often appears as the "sour" component in sweet-and-sour dishes. Sometimes it's used with soda for leavening baking products.
However, there's no evidence that it helps in treating any health problem, though there have been false claims that it cures arthritis and gets rid of extra body fat. If your grandmother is happy taking it, that's her decision, but there's no scientific reason for you to follow suit.
Question: With all the talk about vitamins, one that never seems to get mentioned is vitamin K. Why is that?
Answer: Probably the major reason is that for most people, getting enough is not a problem. Chances are good that it's something you'll never need to worry about.
Vitamin K is crucial for blood clotting and recently has been recognized for its role in bone mineralization. However, the amount we need is pretty small, and is normally available from several sources. It's found mainly in green, leafy vegetables, but there are small amounts in other foods, and it's also produced by bacteria in our intestines.
There are some instances of vitamin K deficiency. The potential is greatest among infants, who, for several reasons, are vulnerable to a condition called "hemorrhagic disease of the newborn." First, the vitamin is not transferred to the fetus during pregnancy, so stores at birth are low. Second, breast milk unlike cow's milk, contains very little. Also, the infant's gastrointestinal tract is sterile at birth, and it takes several days before bacteria begin to manufacture the vitamin. So, to prevent deficiency, babies generally receive a dose of vitamin K when they are born.
Beyond infancy, the problem surfaces most commonly in individuals whose intakes are low and who are also taking antibiotics. It has also occurred in patients on long-term parenteral nutrition, a special type of artificial feeding. Patients with malabsorption disorders also are vulnerable. In these case, supplements may be necessary, but, as with other nutrients, they should be taken only when prescribed by a doctor.
1992, Washington Post Writers Group