Omega-3 Fatty Acids are long-chain polyunsaturated essential fatty acids family that includes:
Linolenic Acid
• ALA (alpha-linolenic acid),
• EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid),
• DPA (docosapentaenoic acid),
• DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).
They are necessary for human health and must be consumed in the diet because the body cannot make it, but you have to get them through food.
• Given linolenic acid, the body can make EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid), but ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) is found in Flaxseed.
DHA, EPA, ALA, & DPA
More Details on DHA, EPA, ALA, & DPA
DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid)
An Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid that is synthesized in limited amounts by the body through the conversion of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and then to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
• DHA is abundant in the brain and retina.
• Fatty fish, including kippers, Mackerel Fish, Trout Fish, Salmon Fish, Sardines, Anchovies, Herrings, and Tuna Fish are good sources of naturally occurring DHA.
• Human Milk is a source of DHA.
• DHA is essential for normal growth and neurological function.
• DHA deficiency has been linked to a decline in cognitive ability, increase in neural cell death, absent in the cerebral cortex of individuals with extreme Depression.
• Increased dietary consumption of DHA is associated with a decreased risk of age-related macular degeneration and may reduce the risk of death in patients with coronary artery disease.
• EPA and DHA are found in cold-Water fish (such as Salmon Fish, Mackerel Fish, halibut, Sardines, Tuna Fish, and Herring).
EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid)
One of the two (2) predominant Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) that are synthesized in limited amounts in the body from linolenic acid.
• EPA is found in the Eyes and the brain and is necessary for growth and cognition.
• Good sources of EPA include mullet, which provides 150mg of EPA per 3oz, and other fatty fish, including Mackerel Fish, Salmon Fish, Bluefish, sablefish, Menhaden, Anchovy, Sardines, Herring, Tuna Fish, and lake Trout Fish.
• Human Milk is also a source of EPA.
• EPA and DHA are found in cold-Water fish (such as Salmon Fish, Mackerel Fish, halibut, Sardines, Tuna Fish, and Herring).
ALA (Alpha Linolenic Acid)
• ALA is found in flax seeds, Flaxseed Oil, Canola (rapeseed) oil, Soybean, Soybean Oil, Pumpkin Seeds, Pumpkin Seed oil, Purslane, Perilla seed oil, walnuts, and Walnut Oil.
• ALA from flax and other vegetarian sources needs to be converted in the body to EPA and DHA.
DPA (Docosapentaenoic Acid)
•
The Difference Between Fat and Cholesterol
• Cholesterol and fats are both Lipids, found in our foods and both circulate in the bloodstream.
• Cholesterol has a more complex chemical structure when compared to fats.
• Cholesterol is bound to Protein as low-density lipoprotein or bad (LDL) Cholesterol which risks heart health , and high-density lipoprotein or good (HDL) Cholesterol.
• The levels of total Cholesterol, bad (LDL) Cholesterol, and good (HDL) Cholesterol is inFluenced by the amount of unsaturated and saturated fat in the diet.
Fats & Oils Facts
1) The balance between the omega-6s and the Omega-3s is essential to human health. It’s as simple as that.
• The good ratio is 1:1.
2) Omega-6s (linoleic acid) and one of the several Omega-3s, ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) are considered essential fats (meaning our body can’t make them and we must get them from the diet).
3) The other two most important Omega-3s, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), can theoretically be made in the body from the First Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid), but the body does a lousy job of it-only about 20% of alpha-linolenic acid gets converted to DHA and EPA.
• That’s why fish and fish oil are so great, they give you readymade DHA and EPA so your body doesn’t have to make them.
Omega 3 oils are:
• ALA (alpha-linolenic acid),
• DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and
• EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)
4) High amounts of HNE accumulate in Vegetable based cooking oils that are heated or reheated for hours at a time. (It does not arise in saturated fats.).
• HNE (4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal) is a toxin formed in high amounts in polyunsaturated oils associated with carcinogens, heart disease and neurological disorders.
(Fast-Food Restaurant Fact !)
5) Eating the right oils can help you avoid deadly diseases.
• High intakes of omega-6 polyunsaturated fats (coupled with low intakes of Omega-3s) equal higher levels of inflammation.
• Surprisingly, inflammation is linked to heart attacks, Cancer, Alzheimer Disease’s and other diseases.
Note:
* Some saturated fat are good for us.
• Omega-3s are very, very good for us.
• Omega-9s are good for us.
• Balanced (usually small) amounts of Omega-6s are good for us.
Precaution:
* Reused (reheated) Vegetable oils are really, really bad.
* Trans fats are metabolic Poison (zero is the acceptable level in the diet).
Rules for Choosing Cooking Oils
1) Use extra virgin Olive Oil as your oil of choice.
2) When the robust flavour of Olive Oil is not desired, use neutral tasting Avocado Oil or Canola Oil.
High Heat Canola best for cooking/baking.
3) Use Grape Seed Oil, Sesame Oil, or Avocado Oil for high heat food.
4) Use pan sprays for a quick and easy way to apply a light coating of oil when desired.
5) feel free to use nut oils (Walnut Oil, Macadamia Oil, etc.).
6) For deep frying, use Coconut Oil, Peanut Oil, or Avocado Oil.
7) Avoid the oils high in Omega-6 fats.
8) Strictly avoid all Shortenings (like Crisco).
Note:
* Olive Oil or Canola Oil-based varieties are best for low to moderate heat and
* Refined Grape seed or Coconut Oil varieties are best for high heat.
Healthy Benefits of Omega-3 to the Heart
1) Anti-Arrhythmic
(counteracting or preventing cardiac Arrhythmia).
• Types of Arrhythmias (ventricular ectopy, atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachyArrhythmias) are beneficially affected by fish oil, where significant anti-arrhythmic properties has been detected in association with Omega-3 Fatty Acid intake as they have been found to reduce plasma levels of triglycerides and increase levels of high-density lipoprotein in patients with marked hypertriglyceridemia.
2) Anti-Thrombotic
(tending to prevent Thrombosis (a blood clot within a blood vessel)).
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids (or omega-6 fatty acids) and metabolites may alter platelet Lipid membrane phospholipid composition and affect platelet function could have therapeutic potential, which (in turn) may alter the progression and thrombotic complications of cardiovascular disease.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids increase bleeding time and decrease platelet aggregation, blood viscosity, and fibrinogen, thereby decreasing the potential for thrombus formation.
3) Anti-Atherosclerotic
(preventing fatty deposits and fibrosis of the inner layer of your arteries from forming).
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids (especially fish oil-derived eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) have emerged as potentially preventive and therapeutic agents to decrease cardiovascular disease by acting on pathways related to atherosclerosis and Myocardial Infarction.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids inhibit adverse pathways in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease.
4) Anti-Inflammatory
(counteracting inflammation [heat, pain, swelling, etc.]).
• Fish oil increases fatty acid uptake and beta-oxidation in adipose, heart and skeletal muscle.
• Fish oil counteracts the lipolytic release of non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) from adipose tissue by suppressing inflammation.
Fish oil reduces the rate of VLDL (very low density lipoprotein) synthesis in The Liver and reduced non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) delivery to The Liver.
5) Improves Endothelial Function
(a major factor in promoting the growth of new blood vessels).
• Endothelial dysfunction is characterized by reduced vasodilation and a pro-inflammatory, pro-thrombotic state, and is an early pathological event in the development of atherosclerosis, thus individuals with hyperlipidemia, elevated BMI, metabolic syndrome, or smoking Smoker could derive vasoprotective benefits from EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).
6) Lowers Blood Pressure
• Omega 3 fatty acids lower blood pressure in people with Hypertension and reduce risk of Stroke.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids lower blood pressure by directly activating large-conductance Ca2+-dependent K+ channels.
7) Lowers Triglyceride Concentrations
• Omega 3 fatty acids tend to have increased HDL Cholesterol and decreased triglycerides (fats in the blood). walnuts (rich in alpha linolenic acid (ALA), which can convert to Omega-3s in the body), have been reported to lower total Cholesterol and triglycerides in people with high Cholesterol levels.
• pharmaceutical long chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids effectively reduce plasma triglyceride levels.
• There is uniform support for decreased production of triglyceride by fish oils based on the fact that non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) are by far the primary source of fatty acids for VLDL (very low density lipoprotein)-triglyceride production and that fish oils reduces plasma non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), this could be the primary mechanism for the hypotriglyceridemic effect.
• Plasma non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) are largely the result of intracellular HSL lipolysis in the adipocyte which fish oils counteracts by suppressing adipose tissue inflammation and increasing fatty acid uptake in adipose, heart and skeletal muscle.
• In addition, a systemic increase in beta-oxidation provides a sink for fatty acid disappearance and contributes to decreased hepatocyte availability of fatty acids for VLDL (very low density lipoprotein)-triglyceride production.
Note:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids are found in:
• Fish (such as Salmon Fish, Tuna Fish, Mackerel Fish, Lake Trout Fish, Herring, Sardines and Halibut),
• Other seafoods (including Algae and Krill),
• Some plants (such as Soybean) and
• Nut oils (such as walnuts and Flaxseed).
Symptoms of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Deficiency:
• Fatigue,
• Poor memory,
• dry Skin,
• Heart problems,
• Mood swings or Depression, and
• Poor circulation
Health Benefits of Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Cancer & Tumor Prevention
• Eating foods rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids seems to reduce the risk of Colorectal Cancer.
• Population-based studies of groups of men suggest that a low-fat diet including Omega-3 Fatty Acids (from fish or fish oil) may help prevent the development of Prostate Cancer.
Foods & Cancer
Cardiovascular System
• Clinical evidence suggests that EPA and DHA (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid), the two Omega-3 Fatty Acids found in fish oil help reduce risk factors for heart disease, including high Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure (The American Heart Association [AHA]).
• Fish oil also appears to help prevent and treat atherosclerosis (hardening of The Arteries) by slowing the development of plaque and blood clots, which can clog arteries. Omega fatty acids increase bleeding time and decrease platelet aggregation, blood viscosity, and fibrinogen, thereby decreasing the potential for thrombus formation.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids may have anti-oxidant properties that improve endothelial function and may contribute to heart benefits.
• Omega fatty acids tend to have increased HDL Cholesterol and decreased triglycerides (fats in the blood). walnuts (rich in alpha linolenic acid (ALA), which can convert to Omega-3s in the body), have been reported to lower total Cholesterol and triglycerides in people with high Cholesterol levels.
• Omega fatty acids lower blood pressure in people with Hypertension and reduce risk of Stroke.
Note:
* High doses of fish oil and Omega-3 Fatty Acids (more than 3 grams per day) may increase the risk of bleeding and may have higher risk for hemorrhagic Stroke (a potentially fatal type of Stroke in which an artery in the brain leaks or ruptures).
Foods & Cardiovascular System
Circulatory System
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids in the diet, primarily from fish, helps protect against Stroke caused by plaque build up and blood clots in The Arteries that lead to the brain.
• Omega fatty acids improves blood Lipid patterns, blood vessel function and also reduce risk of sudden death from heart disease.
• Omega fatty acids perform various physiologic functions (including the relaxation and contraction of muscles, blood clotting, digestion, fertility, cell division, growth), movement of Calcium and other substances in and out of cells, and that have Anti-Inflammatory properties.
Foods & Circulatory System
Diabetes
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids from fish oil can help lower triglycerides and apoProteins (markers of Diabetes), and raise HDL. Omega-3 Fatty Acids reduce serum Lipids and lipoproteins, impair platelet aggregation, increase cell membrane Fluidity, lower blood pressure in humans and reduce serum triglycerides among type II diabetics.
• Omega fatty acids reduce chance of heart disease in Type 2 Diabetes.
Foods & Diabetes
Eye
• Those who eat more fish are less likely to have macular degeneration (a serious age-related Eye condition that can progress to blindness), than those who eat less fish.
Foods & Eye
Immune System
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids improves symptoms of immune and inflammatory disorders (such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohns Disease and some Skin conditions).
Foods & Immune System
Infant
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids is essential in Infants brain and Eye development during Pregnancy and infancy.
Foods & Infant
Intestine
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids can help reduce symptoms of Crohn disease and ulcerative Colitis (two [2] types of inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]).
Foods & Intestine
Musculoskeletal System
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids does not appear to slow progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis (an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the joints), only to treat the symptoms (including Joint Pain and morning Stiffness).
• Omega fatty acids (and low in the inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids) may help people with Osteoarthritis.
• Several small studies suggest that EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid ) and fish oil may help reduce symptoms of systemic Lupus erythematosus (SLE, an auto-immune condition characterized by fatigue and Joint Pain). However, two small studies found that fish oil had no effect on Lupus nephritis (kidney disease caused by Lupus, a frequent complication of the disease).
• Omega fatty acids is beneficial to Osteoporosis patients as it may help increase levels of Calcium in the body and improve Bone strength.
Foods & Musculoskeletal System
The Brain & Nervous System
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids can help relieve Depression symptoms and helps protect against postpartum Depression.
• People with lower levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids have more learning and behavioral problems (such as attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), temper tantrums and sleep disturbances). Children with ADHD may have low levels of certain essential fatty acids (including EPA and DHA).
• Omega fatty acids is important for cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function.
• Reduced intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids is associated with increased risk of age-related cognitive decline or Dementia (including Alzheimer Disease disease).
• Omega fatty acids reduce the risk of some mental disorders such as Alzheimer Disease and Depression. Scientists believe the Omega-3 Fatty Acid DHA is protective against Alzheimer Disease disease and Dementia.
Foods & Nervous System
Women Health
• In one study of 42 women, participants had less Menstrual pain when they took fish oil supplements than when they took placebo.
Foods & Women Health
