fatty acids and the omega-6 fatty acids, which are
polyunsaturated.
Two types of omega-3 fatty acids are eicosapentae-
noic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA), which
are found mainly in oily cold-water fish, such as tuna,
salmon, trout, herring, sardines, bass, swordfish, and
mackerel. With the exception of seaweed, most plants
do not contain EPA or DHA. However, alpha-linolenic
acid (ALA), which is another kind of omega-3 fatty acid,
is found in dark green leafy vegetables,flaxseedoil, fish
oil, and canola oil, as well as nuts and beans, such as
walnuts and soybeans. Enzymes in a person’s body can
convert ALA to EPA and DHA, which are the two kinds
of omega-3 fatty acids easily utilized by the body.
Many experts agree that it is important to main-
tain a healthy balance between omega-3 fatty acids
and omega-6 fatty acids. As Dr. Penny Kris-Etherton
and her colleagues reported in their article published
in theAmerican Journal of Nutritionan over consump-
tion of omega-6 fatty acids has resulted in an unheal-
thy dietary shift in the American diet. The authors
point out that what used to be a 1:1 ratio between
omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids is now estimated to
be a 10:1 ratio. This poses a problem, researchers say,
because consuming some of the beneficial effects
gained from omega-3 fatty acids are negated by an
over consumption of omega-6 fatty acids. For exam-
ple, omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory prop-
erties, whereas omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote
inflammation. Cereals, whole grain bread, margarine,
and vegetable oils, such as corn, peanut, and sun-
flower oil, are examples of omega-6 fatty acids. In
addition, people consume a lot of omega-6 fatty acid
simply by eating the meat of animals that were fed
grain rich in omega-6. Some experts suggest that eat-
ing one to four times more omega-6 fatty acids than
omega-3 fatty acids is a reasonable ratio. In other
words, as dietitians often say, the key to a healthy
diet is moderation and balance.The health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids
There is strong evidence that omega-3 fatty acids
protect a person against atherosclerosis and therefore
against heart disease and stroke, as well as abnormal
heart rhythms that cause sudden cardiac death, and
possibly autoimmune disorders, such as lupus and rheu-
matoid arthritis. In fact, Drs. Dean Ornish and Mehmet
Oz, renowned heart physicians, said in a 2002 article
published inO Magazinethat the benefits derived from
consuming the proper daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids
may help to reduce sudden cardiac death by as much as
50%. In fact, in an article published byAmerican Family
Physician, Dr. Maggie Covington,a clinical assistant
professor at the University of Maryland, also empha-
sized the value of omega-3 fatty acids with regard to
cardiovascular health and referred to one of the largest
clinical trials to date, theGISSI-Prevenzione Trial, to
illustrate her point. In thestudy, 11,324 patients with
coronary heart diseasewere divided into four groups:
one group received 300 mg ofvitamin E, one group
received 850 mg of omega-3 fatty acids, one group
received the vitamin E and fatty acids, and one group
served as the control group. After a little more than
three years, ‘‘the group given omega-3 fatty acids only
had a 45% reduction in sudden death and a 20% reduc-
tion in all-cause mortality,’’ as stated by Dr. Covington.
According to the American Heart Association
(AHA), the ways in which omega-3 fatty acids may
reduce cardiovascular disease are still being studied.
However, the AHA indicates that research as shown
that omega-3 fatty acids:
decrease the risk of arrthythmias, which can lead to
sudden cardiac death
decrease triglyceride levels
decrease the growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque
lower blood pressure slightly
In fact, numerous studies show that a diet rich in
omega-3 fatty acids not only lowers bad cholesterol,
known as LDL, but also lowerstriglycerides,the
fatty material that circulates in the blood. Interest-
ingly, researchers have found that the cholesterol
levels of Inuit Eskimos tend to be quite good, despite
the fact that they have a high fat diet. The reason for
this, research has found, is that their diet is high in
fatty fish, which is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids.Sources of Omega 6-Fatty Acids- Baked goods
- Brazil nuts
- Cereals
- Corn oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Eggs
- Hemp oil
- Meats from grass-fed animals
- Pecans
- Pine nuts
- Pumpkin oil
- Safflower oil
- Sesame oil
- Soybean oil
- Sunflower oil
- Sunflower seeds
- Wheat germ oil
- Whole grains
(Illustration by GGS Information Services/Thomson Gale.)
Omega-3 fatty acids