Essential Fats

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Essential Fats: 

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are fats your body needs to work properly. The body cannot make these fats on its own & must be obtained from your diet. The two primary EFAs are linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). Common omega-3 fats are known as EPA, DHA, and ALA. A diet higher in Omega-3 than Omega-6 is recommended. 

Omega-3: 

You must consume omega-3 for you body to utilize them. Omega-3s have been linked to many health benefits including: 

  • Fighting depression & anxiety 
  • Reduce metabolic syndrome 
  • Improving eye health 
  • Fights inflammation 
  • Improves risk factors for heart disease 
  • Fights autoimmune diseases 
  • Improve mental disorders 
  • Fights age-related mental decline & Alzheimer's disease 
  • Prevents cancer
  • Reduces fat in the liver
  • Improves bone & joint health
  • Improves sleep
  • Good for your skin 
Types of Omega-3: 
  • ALA: Plant-based omega-3 is commonly found in green, leafy vegetables, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, & soybean oils. 
  • EPA: Your body needs high quantities of this fat to achieve the health benefits it offers. It can be found in oily fish, krill oil, and algae oil. 
  • DHA: Major structural component of the brain & retina of the eye. Consuming DHA can reduce risk of degeneration & eye damage. 

Tips in Eating foods High in Omega-3: 
  • Buy dairy & juice products fortified with omega-3s
  • You can buy breads & pasta with omega-3s added to them. Omega-3s naturally occur in whole foods, such as nuts and seeds. When shopping, look for omega-3 content in your grain products on the nutrition label.
  • A good source of ALA (a form of omega-3) are leafy greens. This list of green vegetables are high in fiber & nutrients. Try picking up these vegetables on your next shopping trip! 
    • Brussel sprouts 
    • Kale 
    • Spinach 
    • Broccoli 
    • Cauliflower 
  • Oils can be a good source of ALA Omega-3s, try Cod liver oil, Flaxseed oil, Mustard oil, Walnut
    oil 
  • Check with your provider before adding Omega-3 supplement to your diet. It may be a beneficial addition to your diet. 
Omega-6: 
Omega-6s are most commonly found in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. When eaten in replacement and in moderation instead of saturated fats found in meat, dairy products, based goods, and processed foods, these fats be healthy for your heart. Although excess consumption of omega-6s can lead to pro-inflammatory chemicals. 


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