Download Omega 3 Fatty Acids I

Omega 3 Fatty Acids
I
mportant Omega-3 fatty acids are ALA,
EPA and DHA and can be found in a
variety of foods. For example, ALA is found
in plant sources such as flax seeds, walnuts,
hemp seeds, and certain green vegetables
like broccoli, kale, spinach and purslane.
Direct sources of EPA and DHA are
cold water oily fish such as wild salmon,
herring, mackerel and anchovies. Fish’s
reputation as brain food is well deserved. A
normal adult brain contains more than 20
grams of DHA.
As far as plant sources go, flax by far
is the richest source of ALA. Called an
almost perfect protein because it contains
all eight essential amino acids but is low in
two of them, flax seed is a high quality, easily
digestible source of Omega-3 fatty acid,
protein and fiber. It contains both types of
fiber – soluble and insoluble – for a total
fiber content of 3 grams per tablespoon.
It is also one of the richest dietary
sources of lignans – phytoestrogrens that
have anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-cancer
activity.
Try adding 1-3 tablespoons of ground
flaxseed a day to your diet. Add it to
smoothies, to cereals or to salads.
Approximately 3 tablespoons of flax
seed equals 1 tablespoon of oil, however,
the flax seed oil contains little to no dietary
fiber. For those who prefer the liquid, buy it
as fresh as possible, keep it refrigerated and
watch the expiration date on it.
Tip: For the freshest and most
economical flax, purchase it in our Bulk
Dept., keep it in your freezer, and grind up a
little as you need it.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids Found in a
Sampling of Food Sources
Flax Seeds
Walnuts
Wild Salmon
Halibut
Squash (winter)
Tofu
2 tbs
1/4 cup
4 oz
4 oz
1 cup
4 oz
3.51g
2.27g
2.09g
.62g
.34g
.36g
Omega 6 Fatty Acids
T
he other category of essential fatty
acids is called Omega-6 or linoleic acid
(LA). Omega-6s are found abundantly in
plant oils like corn, soy, safflower and canola
and in some nuts, seeds and soybeans. A
healthy person with good nutrition will
convert the LA into gamma linolenic acid
(GLA), which in turn initiates an antiinflammatory response.
Ironically, even though Omega-6s are
essential, too much of them can inhibit
the conversion of ALA into EPA and DHA
which may increase inflammation. A diet
with an excess of Omega-6s coupled with
the typical American diet that is high in
processed foods, hydrogenated fats and fast
foods spells trouble for the health conscious
person.
Direct sources of GLA include borage,
evening primrose, hemp and black
currant seed oil. GLA also stimulates the
growth of hair and nails, improves the
health of the skin, and can help balance
hormones. Some women who suffer
from PMS have found that GLA can help
alleviate the symptoms.
Getting the Right
Ratio
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10 Easy Steps to Getting
the Right Ratio
1. Eat 1-3 tablespoons of ground flax seed per
day.
2. Eat at least one serving of cold water
fish per week.
3. Add omega-3 rich walnuts to salads and
baked goods.
4. Replace snack foods like potato chips
and corn chips with nuts and seeds like
almonds, walnuts or pumpkin seeds.
5. Choose meat, dairy and eggs from freeranging animals that graze on omega-3
rich grass and insects instead of those
fattened up on omega-6 rich grains.
etting our EFAs is critical to
optimal health, but equally
important is getting them in the right
6. Eat your veggies, especially the dark
ratio. Clara Felix, author of All About
green, leafy ones. Especially good sources
Omega-3 Oils explains: “High levels
of omega-3 EFAs include romaine lettuce,
of the omega-6 oils without the
mesclun mixed greens, arugula, kale,
restraining effects of the omega-3s
collards, mustard greens and swiss chard.
actually promotes the diseases that are
7. Include a daily teaspoon of cod liver oil
supposed to be prevented.”
in your diet.
Unlike our ancestors, whose
diets were made up of foods containing
8. Cut down and eventually eliminate your
roughly equal amounts of the 2 EFAs,
intake of processed foods like margarine
Western diets are short on Omega-3s
and vegetable shortening.
and too rich in Omega-6s. It’s estimated
Flax
that 80% of the population does not
9. Avoid oils like corn, safflower, peanut,
Linum usitatissimum
have an adequate intake of Omega-3s.
soybean, sunflower and cottonseed oil
that tend to be refined and have a high
For optimum health, a ratio of
omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.
about 1-3:1 omega-6 to omega-3 is ideal. It’s
estimated though that the average person
10. Make an oil change. Choose cold-pressed,
consumes an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of
extra virgin olive and expeller-pressed canola oil
about 20-30:1.
in place of omega-6 rich oils.
Fat is Essential to
Our Health!
B
elieve it or not, fat is essential to our
health and well-being. Consider that
our brain is nearly 60 percent fat and that
every lining of every cell in our bodies is
made of fat.
Two categories of fats – Omega-3 and
Omega-6 – are called Essential Fatty
Acids (EFAs) and are particularly good
for us. Although our body does not
manufacture them, they are essential for
our overall health and well-being and can
only be obtained through our food or
supplement choices.
Some Early Warning Signs of
an EFA Deficiency
Fatigue
Poor memory
Immune weakness
Dry skin
Eczema or Hair loss
Heart problems
Reproductive problems
Mood swings or depression
Poor circulation
Chronic inflammation
Digestive problems
Constipation
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Know Your EFAs
as Well as Your
ABCs
How Much Do I Need?
B
ecause fat is considered a macronutrient
(one of 3 along with carbohydrates and
proteins that together provide us with the
vast majority of our energy needs), it is not
assigned a Recommended Daily Allowance
(RDA) like vitamins and minerals.
Instead, macronutrients have Acceptable
Intake (AI) and Acceptale Macronutrient
Distribution Range (AMDR). According to
the National Academy of Sciences the AI for
Omega 3 is 1.6 grams/day for men and 1.1
grams/day for women while the AMDR is
0.6% to 1.2% of total energy.
A healthy person who eats primarily a
varied whole foods diet can easily obtain all
of their EFAs – and even in the right ratios.
Unfortunately, the typical Standard American Diet (SAD) is high in processed foods,
hydrogenated fats and fast foods. The SAD
approach to eating compromises our ability
to fully absorb and transform what limited
EFAs may be available in those food choices
– ultimately compromising our health.
Food is truly “foundational medicine.”
Consider that many MDs today recommend
a daily dose of flax seed as a way of preventing coronary heart disease. Or that recent
studies link fish oil to a significant decrease
in age-related memory loss and a lower risk
of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Our food
choices truly have a direct relationship to
our health.
What are Essential Fatty
Acids and Why Are they
Good for Me?
A Brief Overview
Oryana
Where Everyone is Welcome.