Foods containing monounsaturated (neutral) and polyunsaturated (good) fats such as avocados, seeds, nuts and oily fish should be consumed in a balanced way when following the Overcoming MS (OMS) Program.
The following foods are encouraged on the Overcoming MS program as part of a balanced diet. However, care must be taken with portion sizes, and how often these foods are consumed.
The reason for this is that whilst oily fish contains a high proportion of beneficial omega-3 fats (polyunsaturated) which have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect on the body, there is also a small amount of saturated fat present. Similarly, foods like avocado and olives which are rich in monounsaturated fats, that do not appear to affect inflammation but do protect our cells from degeneration (please see our fats page for more info), also contain a degree of saturated fat.
When balancing the ‘good’ fats on the Overcoming MS program, it is important to consider the foods you consume over the whole day, and the whole week. Avoid eating lots of nuts, olives, oily fish, avocado etc on the same day, but instead balance the quantities by controlling portion size and frequency over the period of a few days instead.
All tree nuts are advocated by the Overcoming MS Program. They are a great source of protein and healthy fats, especially walnuts, which have the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
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Including: salmon, sardines, mackerel, trout, herring, anchovy, fresh tuna.
Oily fish can be enjoyed in moderation on the Overcoming MS program. Aim for approximately three servings a week. The Holism study showed greater benefits in terms of relapse rate reduction, disability levels and quality of life for those who include oily fish three times a week in their diet.
White fish and other seafoods have a significantly lower fat content whilst still being a good source of protein, and can be consumed more often as part of a varied and balanced diet.
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Predominantly a source of monounsaturated fat, olives also contain some saturated fat and so should be consumed in moderate amounts.
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The avocado serving size is officially 1/3 of a medium avocado, or 50g of avocado.
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