| Omega 3 fatty acids | |||||
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- What are omega 3 fatty acids?
- Important omega 3 fatty acids facts
- Why omega 3 fatty acids are important
Omega 3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids which have a double carbon bond in the omega 3 position of their chain.
The most important omega 3 fatty acids are:
- alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
- eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
- docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is the most important omega 3 fatty acid as the body cannot produce it. It can however, produce the other omega 3 essential fatty acids from ALA if it needs to, although getting them from the diet is a good idea.
Foods highest in the omega 3 fatty acids are:
- Salmon
- Trout
- Mackerel
- Flax (linseed)
- Eggs (from chickens fed leafy green vegetables)
The fish that are caught from the wild (or deep ocean) generally have more of this beneficial essential fatty acid than those that are farmed.
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Important omega 3 fatty acids facts
- Omega 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids
- Oily fish contain the highest amounts of omega 3 fatty acids
- Heart Foundations around the world recommends eating at least 2 servings of fish a week (preferably oily fish such as salmon, trout or mackerel)
- The American Heart Foundation also recommended eating tofu, soybeans, canola, walnut and flaxseed, and their oils
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Why omega 3 fatty acids are important
Levels of omega 3 fatty acids are recommended to be boosted, as not enough of them are consumed by Western society as a whole. The Heart associations of various countries recommend eating fish a few times a week to boost omega 3 essential fatty acid intake.
In addition to this, the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 should be in ratio of around 3:2. The typical Western diet has a ratio of about 10:1 up to about 30:1, which could be a reason why there are a lot of people with inflammatory disorders in the West. Omega 3 fatty acids reduce the incidence of inflammation, while omega 6 fatty acids increase it.
Omega 3 fatty acids have the following health benefits:
- anti-inflammatory - assisting with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (an inflammatory conditions of the joints)
- anti-thrombotic - stop the blood from getting sticky and clotting (help to prevent stroke and heart disease)
- lowering LDL cholesterol - this prevents heart disease
references
- Osiecki, Henry. The Physician's Handbook of Clinical Nutrition. 6th edition, 2001, BioConcepts Publishing
- Rolfes SR, Pinna K, Whitney E. Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition. 7th Edition, 2005. Brooks Cole Publishing
To learn more, go to the following web sites:
- Food Standards Australia & New Zealand - Omega 3
- Vegetarian Network Victoria (Australia)
- National Asthma Council Australia
- American Heart Foundation
