Fatty Acids Part 2

THE WONDERFUL OMEGA-3S

Cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, arterial plaque, blood clots, immune system weakness – it’s no coincidence that some of our most prevalent diseases also are some of the most serious health problems associated with a lack of omega-3 fats. Omega-3s are both America’s and Great Britain’s principal essential fatty acid deficiency, and it’s not too difficult to understand why. Most of the best dietary sources – fish and fish oils, flaxseed oil, rapeseed oil, chia seeds, soyabean oil, walnut oil, eggs from flaxmeal-fed hens and wild game – are either rarely consumed, improperly prepared, or ridiculously branded as unhealthy.

Three specific essential fatty acids are found in omega-3 fats and oils. They are:

• alpha-linolenic acid,
• eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA),
• docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Flaxseed oil is a very good supplement source of alpha-linolenic acid. To a lesser extent, so are rapeseed oil and walnut oil. For EPA and DHA, nothing beats cold-water fish and fish oil supplements.

OMEGA-6S: DON’T GET TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING

The other essential fatty acids come from this class – linoleic acid and superhealing version gamma-linolenic acid.

– Linoleic is found in safflower, sunflower and corn oils.

– GLA is found in supplements of evening primrose oil and borage oil and is a tremendous asset when faced with arthritis, diabetes, skin disor-ders and multiple sclerosis.

However, don’t go overboard on the ordinary omega-6s. This is especially important, since corn oil and its cohorts are already widely consumed. This can give rise to an excess of certain inflammatory eicosanoids that can, among other undesirable things, constrict blood vessels, narrow bronchial passages and raise blood pressure. Overconsumption of these oils correlates strongly with depressed immune function, cancer and inflammatory diseases such as asthma and arthritis.

Don’t rush to a hasty judgment about these fats and oils. It’s important to understand that they are not inherently hazardous. You should not conclude that ‘omega-3s are good’ and ‘omega- 6s are bad’. This is the kind of oversimplification that helped to get us in the trouble we’re now in with cholesterol. (Remember: dietary cholesterol is harmless.) Both omega-3 and omega-6 fats are in our bodies for a reason: to create a balance, a sort of yin and yang. Sometimes bronchial constriction or tissue inflammation is necessary; more often we’re better serve by a reduction in inflammation or a relaxation of our hearty arteries. My nutritional health strategy tips the balance t0wards omega-3s mainly because we eat so little. (To be sure, in practice, a fatty acid profile that overdoes omega-3s is achieve, and the people who come closest, the Eskimos, display surprisingly good cardiovascular health.)

Omega-9 Fatty Acids

The omega-9s may be the most recognizable subgroup, because they are, in fact, the monounsaturated fats and are found in olives, almonds, macadamias, hazelnuts, peanuts, sesame seeds and avocados. The pressed oils from these foods are especially rich in omega-9 fat, which is excellent for cooking. The omega-9s, with olive oil a featured performer, explain the famed Mediterranean diet’s all-around superiority. It is a very stable fat that helps keep cholesterol from sticking to artery walls. Diets high in these fats have been repeatedly shown to be far more protective than the high-carbo- hydrate, ultra-low-fat diet currently being touted as best for everyone.

For all of their healthful attributes, though, omega-9-rich foods are actually quite low in essential fatty acids. Omega-9s are not essential, for the body can make them. Indeed, their health benefits pale in comparison with the therapeutic power of omega-3s and omega-6s. In a diet well fortified in these incredible essential fats, the omega-9s are just part of the support staff. If monounsaturate-based eating can outdo the low-fat diet in health benefits, it should come as no breach of logic that a diet rich in essential fatty acids would provide even greater health returns.