You may have heard that essential fats are an important aspect of maintaining your body’s health. But what exactly are they? Basically, there are two truly essential fatty acids, linoleic acid and linolenic acid. You may have heard of these called omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. So why are they called essential? The term “essential” in life sciences refers to the fact that a nutrient cannot be synthesized by the body. Therefore, you must have a food source or supplement to meet your needs for these acids. You’ve probably heard of the 8 essential amino acids. It’s the same idea here, but in this case we’re referring to fatty acids and not an amino acid. These fatty acids are found and used in every cell in your body. They are therefore crucial for the health of a cell and therefore for our health as humans. The good news is that in North America you generally get enough omega-6 in your diet. Omega-3 has left researchers with a question mark. Are we getting enough or not?
Fortunately, you can get omega-3 from fish and certain nut oils. If you have any doubts, you can get Omega 3 from flaxseed oil, which is plentiful at your local health food store. Don’t be fooled by the terms essential fat or essential fatty acid. These will not cause you to gain unwanted weight. As those of us who really know about weight loss and gain can tell you, the key to losing or increasing fat storage in your body is the body’s short-term energy storage. This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or condition. Contact your family doctor if you have or suspect any physical problems.
Filed under: Nutrition
Tagged with: acid, amino acids, cell, energy, essential, fat, fat, flax, linseed oil, linseed, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, loss, nut, oils, omega, supply, weight
Published by May Healthy Lifestyle
