Are You Getting Enough Omega-3's?
You hear about the importance of omega-3 fish oils everywhere. But what exactly are they, and why are they so darn important?
Over the past few decades, more and more research has surfaced to link certain fats with many common degenerative diseases, namely cancer and heart disease. Such fats are the "bad" fats not to be confused with the "good" fats that help support healthy biological processes. The good fats are typically derived from unprocessed food sources.
Fats are categorized as saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated, according to the type of fatty acids the fat primarily contains. Fatty acids are the basic units of all fats, and they determine the characteristics and nutritional activity of the fat.
Dietary fats/lipids are available primarily from animal and vegetable sources. Animal fats are saturated and tend to be solid while vegetable fats are monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, and tend to be liquid. Such lipids make up the major constituent of every cell membrane in body, and thus are critical in maintaining proper cellular functions. Without a sound membrane, the cell cannot properly control what goes into and out of cell itself.
Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated lipids have a structure that allows it to be more fluid even at low temperatures, compared to their saturated fat counterparts. Moreover, some natural unprocessed saturated fats contribute to healthy bodily functions, such as the repair of gut cells and formation of health brain and nerve cells. Omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids can be found in those good fats. The two fatty acids are deemed "essential" because the human body cannot make them, thus they must be obtained from the diet.
So what are these essential fatty acids and why are the so important? Both essential fats help the body to produce messengers called prostaglandins, which are eicosanoids (signalling molecules derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids) that regulate and control nearly all cellular activity, including the control of inflammation, blood pressure, and immune system activity. Our diet supplies the appropriate amount of essential fats to help regulate the balance of prostaglandins.
For many people, total fat consumption should fall around 20 to 30 percent of total calories consumed per day. At least half of that fat intake should be essential unprocessed fats. Here are some examples of food sources containing the essential fatty acids:
omega-3
flax seed
walnuts
organic soybean
cold water fish (salmon, cod)
dark leafy greens
algae (DHA)
avocado
pumpkin seed
omega-6
tahini
sesame oil
sunflower, cold-pressed
safflower, cold-pressed
flax, cold-pressed
grapeseed oil
walnuts
Unfortunately, most people do not consume an adequate amount of foods rich in the essential fats, especially if they have dietary restrictions that limit them from eating certain foods that contain those oils. If you need help incorporating more healthy fats into your everyday diet, or are confused about what kind of supplement to take to boost your omega-3's, just fill out the contact form and we will work together to find you a suitable solution.
