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Fishing for Omega-3s: Seas & Seeds.
Omnivores and vegans alike should keep an eye on their essential fatty acids.
You have probably heard of essential amino acids, but did you know that certain fats are also essential ? These essential fatty acids must come from our diet because our bodies cannot make them.
Getting enough of the your essential fatty acids requires a bit of fishing, because they are not evenly distributed throughout nature (in contrast to essential amino acids).
This article cover all the basics on essential fatty acids:
- Which types of fats are essential?
- Why do we need these fatty acids?
- How much of them do we need?
- Which sources are best?
- Is more better?
Which types of fats are essential?
The only two types of fats that our bodies cannot make are omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. These fats both belong to the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) family, a subset of unsaturated fats. PUFA fats are defined by the fact that they contain more than one double bond (in contrast to saturated fats, with no double bonds, and monounsaturated fats, with one double bond).
