Essential fatty acids (EFA’s) are
substances our body needs because we do not produce them internally - so we
have to get them through our diet. These are the omega 6 fatty acids and the
omega 3 fatty acids.
When the two families of
EFAs were discovered in 1923, they were called "vitamin F", but in
1929 they were classified as fats rather than vitamins.
Several recent studies have shown that the diet of our ancestors
was lower in calories, higher in fibre and rich in fruits, vegetables, lean
meat, and fish. The resulting diet was not only lower in total fats, but it also
contained equal amounts of the essential fatty acids, omega-6 and omega-3, roughly speaking a 1 to 1 ratio.
In today’s
Western diet, this ratio is about 15 to 1! And that is a problem. These
two types of fatty acids have opposing functions in the body, and their balance
is important for normal function and development, including gene
expression and cell-to-cell communication.
The omega-6 fatty acids promote
inflammatory processes, necessary for our immune system and for repairing the
body. The omega-3’s are both anti-inflammatory and essential for the normal
functional development of the retina and brain, particularly in premature
infants.
Excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids and a very high
omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in the diet promotes inflammation pathways. While this
is necessary in the short term - such as repairing damaged tissue - it is a
disaster in the long term; in other words, chronic inflammation.
Many diseases are based in a chronic inflammation
background. For instance, Cardiovascular
Disease (once understood as a disease of fatty accumulation on the blood vessel
walls) is now regarded as an inflammatory disease. The blood vessels walls are
very smooth, obviously to resist the adhesion of passing blood cells. A fatty
coating on the blood vessels, however, allows white blood cells, whose role is
to produce inflammation, to adhere to
the artery walls.
The anti-inflammatory effect of the omega-3’s, (and a
good omega 6 to 3 ratio) combined with their ability to scavenge free radicals,
gives rise to a range of health benefits within the cardiovascular system. Through
increasing good fat metabolism - they clean arteries and lower blood pressure -
by stabilizing the membrane of the heart, and reducing ventricular
fibrillation.
Illnesses like Asthma,
Allergy and eczema are all caused by an imbalance in the immune system,
which leads to inflammation in the lungs or skin.
In autoimmune diseases - the immune system targets and
attacks particular body parts. For example, in Rheumatoid Arthritis, the joints are targeted and become inflamed,
resulting in pain, swelling and stiffness. A daily dose of 6.7 – 7 grams per day helps joint pain and stiffness by suppressing
inflammation in the spinal cord. Increased levels of omega-3s and a low
omega-6/omega-3 ratio is a safe and nutritious way to decrease inflammation in
these instances.
Because omega-6s are already over represented in the average
diet, and also due to the anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3s, most EFA products are based around the omega-3s.
The vegetarian products are generally sourced from the
seeds of plants such as flax and chia. The
advantage of these is that they are probably a cleaner source, and don’t
involve any harm to animals. However, they are not as effective as the marine
forms of omega 3’s.
Marine oils, such as those derived from fish and krill, already contain the
omega-3s, so no conversion necessary.
But
which ones to use? The following is a rough guide to nutrients
to improve fat metabolism:
1.
High total cholesterol, LDLs and triglycerides: Fish Oils (plus Bioflavonoids
(Rutin, Hesperidin and Quercitin) and
Vitamin E.
2.
Low HDLs and high LDLs - Fish and Krill Oil
3.
Raised Triglycerides and low HDLs - Fish Oil (EPA/DHA)
Generally speaking, the Vitamins E, C and B Complex, plus
Choline, Methionine, Inositol and Taurine will also help to promote healthy fat
metabolism.
Besides those mentioned above, dietary sources of the
EFA’s are pumpkin and sunflower seeds, walnuts and canola, soy and olive oils.
These foods are high in calories because of their fat content. Eating them
makes the body switch to fat burning cellular metabolism – this burns fats for
energy, provides sustained energy and hence reduces food cravings.
Carbohydrate
foods do the opposite. They increase the use of carbohydrate
burning pathways in the body’s cells. But because these foods are lower in
calories, this energy is used more quickly. Since the carbohydrate burning
machinery has been switched on, sugar cravings result.
So
increasing the omega 3s tends to be a good idea all round.
Written by: Miguel Trapaga | B.HSc; M.App.Sc
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