What Does it Mean to be ‘Well’?
April 21, 2014
The Importance of Vitamin D
June 3, 2014One of the most common things I find myself explaining is the difference between our essential fatty acids so here is some information to help unravel this complex process.
Essential fatty acids (EFA) are fats that are essential to our health that we must consume in the diet, as our body is unable to produce them itself. EFA’s are divided into two classes of polyunsaturated fatty acids; omega 3 and omega 6. The omega 6 fatty acids occur in the form of linoleic acid (LA), and the omega 3 as a-linolenic acid (ALA).
LA is converted to arachidonic acid (AA) and ALA is converted into the well know fatty acids called Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
The most important thing about essential fatty acid consumption is the ratio between omega 6 and omega 3. Modern diets contain significantly less omega 3 than omega 6 and modern farming methods have increased the amount of omega 6 in vegetables, fruits, fish, eggs, grains and legumes, while decreasing the amount of valuable omega 3. Commercial feeds are also high in omega 6 fatty acids resulting in a high omega 6 content in meat. The suggested ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 is 4:1, meaning it is necessary to consume sources of omega 3 fatty acids on a daily basis.
Fatty acid status and your individual requirements vary enormously and is largely dependent on intake and absorption, as always it’s important to get individualized health advise that is specific to you.
The best food sources of omega 3 (EPA & DHA) are oily fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, anchovy and herring.
Oils derived from fish livers (halibut and cod) are not a reliable source of essential fatty acids and are generally used for their vitamin A and D content. Flaxseeds, chia seeds, flaxseed oil and walnuts contain ALA that can be converted into EPA and DHA, but this process is heavily reliant on enzymes such as d6-desaturase. The activity of this enzyme is impaired when the diet is high in omega 6 and with deficiencies of biotin, vitamin E, protein, zinc and some B vitamins. Enzyme activity also decreases with age and the ability to convert ALA to EPA and DHA is also limited in premature infants and those with hypertension and type 2 diabetes.
To help achieve this ratio of essential fatty acids it’s important to limit consumption of saturated fats from animal meats, refined carbohydrates and processed foods such as cakes and biscuits. Use good quality monounsaturated oils with cooking such as olive oil.
EFA’s, consumed in the correct ratio, have many functions such as healthy hair and skin, fast effective wound healing and cardiovascular health, EFA’s act as an anti-inflammatory, regulates the function of our genes and helps to improve our mood. They are also an essential component of our cell membranes supporting the transport of essential nutrients into our cells.
Fatty acid status and your individual requirements vary enormously and is largely dependent on intake and absorption, as always it’s important to get individualized health advise that is specific to you.
