Essential Fatty Acids 
Essential fatty acid foods especially foods that contain eicosapentaenoic acid, a major polyunsaturated fatty acid found in fish oil, interfere with the body’s production of inflammatory chemicals, more specifically arachidonic acid, the chemical which causes inflammation in conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and arthritis.
Animal experiments and clinical intervention studies indicate that omega-3 essential fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties and, therefore, might be useful in the management of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
What Exactly Are Essential Fatty Acids?
Essential fatty acids are just what their name implies; fats that are essential for basic bodily functions, like seeing, hearing and reproduction. These are the good fats. Without these vital fats you would not even be able to move a muscle!
"Essential" simply means that we must consume them in our diets and that our bodies cannot manufacture them from other dietary fats or nutrients.
Research suggests that a lack of essential fatty acids, ordinarily found abundantly in flaxseed oil fish oil and other unrefined polyunsaturated vegetable oils, plays a significant role in the development of such chronic degenerative diseases as heart disease, cancer, and stroke.
Many experts estimate that approximately 80 percent of the American population consumes an insufficient quantity of essential fatty acids. A recent study discovered that, in the USA, 25% of adults tested had so little Omega-3 fatty acid in their blood that it was undetectable. This dietary insufficiency presents a serious health threat to Americans.
In addition to providing the body with energy, the essential fatty acids linoleic and linolenic acid function in our bodies as components of nerve cells, cellular membranes, and hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins. Prostaglandins and the essential fatty acids play an important role in keeping the body in good working order.
Essential fatty acids are the main structural component of every cell membrane and every cell tissue. Every gland and organ requires its presence.
Research shows that EFA’s can improve various biochemical and physiological reactions in the body and enhance athletic performance. When present in adequate and balanced amounts
Essential Fatty Acids Will:
- Improve stamina and endurance
- Decrease recovery time and soreness after exercise and competition and speed the healing of injuries
- Improve protein and amino acid utilization to help build and maintain lean mass
- Decrease fat storage and production and support a good metabolic rate
- Improve oxygen uptake and utilization
- Optimize glandular function
- Decrease mild joint pain and strengthen bones
- Improve circulation and immune function
- Promote sleep and elevate mood Heighten reflexes and concentration
They:
- Support glandular and organ functions
- Lubricate the joints
- Stimulate the production of fat digesting enzymes
- Help keep you warm
The body does not produce EFA’s; therefore, they must come from dietary sources.
There are two kinds of EFAs, omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-6 is commonly known as, Gamma Linolenic acid, and omega-3 fatty acid is commonly known as Lionleic acid.
It is important to have an optimum balance between omega-6 and omega-3. The optimum balance should be a ratio of four to six percent more omega-6 than omega-3.
In North America our diets are typically in the ratio of 11 to 30 times more omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acids. This imbalance can lead to an array of chronic ailments such as autoimmune diseases, heart disease, some cancers, multiple sclerosis, and skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
Receiving an adequate intake of Omega –6 fatty acids should not be of any concern, due to the fact that they are found in abundance in many common food products. The main focus should be on increasing your intake of Omega-3 fatty acids.
The key to health from fats lies in ingesting the essential ones in the proper ratio. This isn’t usually achieved as it has been shown that the average diet is far too high in omega 6 and dangerously low in omega 3 fatty acids. Another concern we face when choosing a source of EFAs is that the majority of oils found on grocery store shelves have been damaged by heat, light and oxygen and modern processing practices. These oils may no longer provide healthful EFAs and may even be harmful.
Research done on the Eskimo population of Greenland proved, that people who consume lots of omega-3 oils have much lower rates of heart disease, cancer, and various other degenerative diseases. Significant was the finding that these people have much lower rates of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, asthma, and psoriasis. These findings have led researchers to conclude that omega-3 oils have certain very potent anti-inflammatory properties.
Omega-3 fatty acids have been extensively studied for their beneficial effects on high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, stroke and heart attack, angina, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory skin disorders, and inhibiting cancer formation and metastasis.
As stated earlier, it would seem that omega-3 oils benefit proper health by nourishing the cells of the body with the proper essential oils that are so sorely lacking in our typical American diet. It is no secret that Americans consume lots of meats and starches but pitifully not enough of green vegetables and fish, which are rich sources of omega-3 oils.
To learn more about the importance of EFAs, read the following very informative article titled: Essential Fatty Acids: Are You Deficient In These Key Nutrients? by Jade Beutler, R.R.T., R.C.P.
Sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The following foods have the highest amounts of Omega-3 and therefore are your best bets.
1. Fish Oil - Fish oil is the oil found in the meat of certain fish. These fish are referred to as ‘oily fish’.
Many recent double-blind studies have shown that supplementation of the diet with 10 – 12 grams of fish oils daily results in significant improvement in general health and healing.
Fish oil capsules are more palatable for those with less enthusiastic appetites for fish.
While a helpful form of Omega-3 can be found in flaxseed, walnuts, and a few other foods, the most beneficial form of Omega-3 – containing two fatty acids, DHA and EPA, that are essential to fighting and preventing both physical and mental disease can only be found in fish.
It is important to purchase fish oils from companies that have a reputation for purity and safety. This is due to the many studies that have shown that many brands of fish oil are contaminated with high levels of toxins that are ingested by the fish.
Furthermore, many brands of fish oil have very low concentrations of the all-important omega-3 acids. For example, standard cod liver oil has the lowest amount of omega-3, and contains the highest amounts of contaminants of any fish oil. Therefore, it is important to use a supply that is pharmaceutical grade.
Pharmaceutical grade fish oils are highly purified fish oils that are more concentrated, free of dangerous toxins, and have been clinically tested. Because of its higher potency and purity, results are achieved that are not possible with typical cod liver and typical health food fish oils. Compared to lower grade oils pharmaceutical grade fish oil is 2-3 times as potent, and 100’s of times more pure.
In my opinion, the most potent and purest fish oil products available are:
1. Dr Barry Sears OmegaRX Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil:
This fish oil product is formulated by Dr. Barry Sears, a research scientist, and creator of the world famous Zone Diet. His most recent book The OmegaRx Zone – The Miracle of the New High-Dose Fish Oil, is the culmination of 20 years of research on the benefits of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish oil.
In fact, this product is so pure and refined that it contains hundreds of times less PCB’s than ordinary health food grade fish oils.
OmegaRx is manufactured using a true molecular distillation process to assure removal of all man made pollutants such as PCB’s, dioxins, and mercury.
This premium product is available in liquid and in capsule form. Click here to learn more about this product.
Recommended dosage: Take 4 capsules or 1 teaspoon per day.
2. Eskimo-3 Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil - Eskimo-3 is a unique, stable fish oil supplement that has not been chemically modified or processed like other fish oil products and EPA-DHA supplements.
Eskimo-3 is one of the most extensively researched and documented fish oil supplements in existence. Eskimo-3 is naturally derived, and is manufactured under strict quality control with guaranteed potency, purity, and quality. Natural antioxidants in Eskimo-3 provide exceptional stability.
Recommended dosage: Take three soft-gel capsules with meals 1 to 3 times daily.
3 .Carlson’s Cod Liver Oil – From the deep unpolluted waters near Norway, Carlson brings you the finest cod liver oil which is naturally rich in vitamin A, Vitamin D3, EPA and DHA. Only cod fish caught during the winter and early spring are used, as the liver oil content is highest at this time of year. The oil is separated from the liver tissues without the use of chemicals.
Carlson Fish Oils are regularly tested (using AOAC International protocols) for potency and purity, by an Independent, FDA registered laboratory, and found to be free of detectable levels of mercury, cadmium, lead, PCB’s, dioxin, and 28 other contaminants.
Recommended dosage: Take one or more teaspoons daily at mealtime or bedtime.
To learn more about the supreme health benefits of fish oil read:
Fish Oil: The Natural Anti-inflammatory
The author explains in plain and simple terms; How the inflammation process works and how it can evolve into a chronic condition that is the cause of many diseases; How fatty acids work in the body; Why supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids can restore the body’s balance and mitigate the effects of inflammatory factors; and why fish oil is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, and how to identify good-quality fish oil supplements.
2. Fatty fish - The oil in fresh wild salmon, canned salmon, sardines, mackerel, white tuna, herring ,trout, and other cold- water fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help nourish the fatty cells in the body.
Unlike fish oil, there is no limit on how much fresh fish you should eat, meaning, that there is no such thing as overdosing on fresh fish, granted of course that the fish you are ingesting is free from mercury and other toxins.
Consuming just a little bit of fatty fish daily [about one ounce], will give you a hefty dose of Omega-3 fatty acids. Non-fatty fish such as cod, flounder, and haddock also contain Omega-3, but you will have to eat more of them in order to receive the benefits.
A note of caution; when purchasing fresh salmon, ask for Wild Salmon as opposed to regular, or so-called baby salmon. The reasons for this are that:
-
Farmed salmon contains little or no omega-3 – because they are fed primarily a grain based diet [soy, canola, and corn], and animal by products.
-
Regular commercial salmon are produced by huge fish cooperatives, on fish farms, where the salmon are fed all kinds of chemical additives just to keep them alive.
-
The fact is that farmed salmon are fed more antibiotics per pound than any other livestock in North America.
-
It is a known fact that much of the fresh and frozen salmon that is marketed in the USA and other countries are imported from Chile.
Many European countries have consistently banned shipments of Chilean salmon because of the presence of the synthetic dye malachite green, a suspected carcinogen, which is used to kill fungus on farmed fish. The fact is that the FDA just does not have the manpower to monitor all imported fish for the presence of toxic chemicals.
Malachite green is only one of many toxins that are suspected to be present in imported farmed fish.
To learn more about this problem, click on:
http://lists.envirolink.org/pipermail/ar-news/Week-of-Mon-20030915/006509.html.
- Preliminary research indicates that farmed salmon have up to 10 TIMES MORE PCBS and dioxins than wild salmon. This is due to the high levels of toxins found in ”salmon chow,” (A mixture of ground-up fish and oil fed to farm-raised salmon). People who eat between 1 and 3 servings of farmed salmon per week are exposed to an amount of contaminants that exceeds the safety level set by the World Health organization.
To learn more about this growing problem, click on: http://www.ewg.org/reports/farmedpcbs
Canned salmon are fresh caught fish and therefore, are generally okay.
Toxin free, omega-3 rich, wild Alaskan salmon can be ordered online, from the following firms:
1. Vital Choice Inc: 
[Highly recommended].
They have available for online ordering wild red salmon portions, filets, smoked salmon, kosher sliced lox, and canned salmon.
Click Here to find out more information about their superior products.
2. Wild Alaska Smoked Salmon And Seafood Inc: They have available for online ordering: fresh salmon filets [perishable], vacuum packed: wild Alaskan smoked lox, wild salmon jerky, and wild salmon caviar.
Note: Fish should not be fried, since the high temperatures of frying will cause the Essential Fatty Acids to become rancid.
Click on www.oilofpisces.com to learn more on the supreme health benefits of fish and fish oils.
3. Genuine Organic, Grass-Fed Meat – Pasture raised meat is a very rich source of Conjugated Linoleic Acid or CLA, an Omega –3 essential fatty acid, and Vitamins A & E. This is due to the fact that the animals feed primarily on vitamin rich grasses.
CLA may be one of our most potent defenses against cancer.
There is new evidence suggesting that CLA reduces cancer risk in humans.
In a Finnish study, women who had the highest levels of CLA in their diet, had a 60 percent lower risk of breast cancer than those with the lowest levels of CLA.
Switching from grain fed to grass-fed meat and dairy products places women in this lowest risk category. In addition to being higher in omega-3s and CLA, meat from grass-fed animals is higher in vitamin E.
The source of Omega 3 is the green leaves of plants. [Sixty percent of the fatty acids in grass are omega-3s]. When cattle eat their natural diet, beef becomes a great source of Omega 3. Grain is not a rich source of Omega 3, so standard cattle-finishing practices cause the Omega 3 level to decrease dramatically.
BE AWARE, THAT NOT ALL ORGANIC MEATS ARE NECESSARILY GRASS-FED.
Grass-fed beef, also known as pasture-fed beef, should not be confused with organic beef or free-range beef, says Jo Robinson, author of "Why Grass-fed Is Best!" and co-author of the best-selling diet book, "The Omega Diet", Most all cattle producers, organic farmers included, send their cattle to feedlots to be fattened on grain for market. The organic farmers just fatten them on organic grain, and organically raised grains do not have healthy levels of Omega 3 fatty acids.
Grass–fed beef is available online (for USA residents) from the following firms: Diamond Organics and Grasslandbeef.
Click on www.mercola.com/beef/main.htm, and www.eatwild.com to learn more about the benefits of grass-fed beef.
4. Pasture Raised Buffalo Meat – Numerous studies have confirmed that buffalo [bison] meat is very high in the essential fatty acids, has an excellent ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 acids, and contains much more CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) than standard beef.
Buffalo meat contains only 2 grams of fat in each 100-gram portion, and is a highly nutrient dense food because of the proportion of protein, fat, mineral and fatty acids to its caloric value. Comparisons to other meat sources show that buffalo has a greater concentration of iron as well as some of the essential fatty acids your body requires to stay healthy. Buffalo is also a good source of vitamin B12.
Pasture Raised Buffalo Meat can be ordered from Breakneck Ridge Farm Inc Click on www.breakneckridgefarm.com/buffalo.html for more information.
5. Krill Oil – The Antarctic Krill is a small shrimp-like crustacean. Krill are adapted to the coldest water in the world. The high content of long chain omega-3 fatty acids help them survive and function and gives new meaning to the term “cold water fish”.
Krill oil contains potent antioxidants that protect the oil causing it to be relatively stable. Krill oil contains anti-inflammatory and powerful anti-oxidant properties, and it contains a unique balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, phospholipids and antioxidants, including vitamin A, vitamin E and astaxanthin.
Research indicates the benefits of Krill Oil to include: Support for menstrual comfort, healthy cardiovascular function, joint and skin health, and mental alertness and daily endurance.
Pure Krill Oil is more stable and more resistant to rancidity than conventional fish oils. This means it will last longer and won’t oxidize in your body due to rancidity.
Vegetarian Sources Of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Organic, Unrefined flaxseed oil is considered by many to be the answer to restoring the proper level of essential fatty acids.
Flaxseed is the best source of omega-3s in the vegetable kingdom. One rounded tablespoon of milled flaxseed (or one teaspoon of flaxseed oil) supplies 2000 mg of the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the essential fatty acid that humans cannot make.
Flaxseed oil is unique because it contains both essential fatty acids, (alpha linolenic (omega-3) and linoleic (omega-6) in appreciable amounts. Flaxseed oil is the richest source of omega-3 fatty acids. At a whopping 58 percent by weight, it contains over twice the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids as fish oils.
Flax seeds are also rich in the B vitamins, protein and zinc.
Flax seeds are beneficial only when ground up or pressed into oil. Whole flax seeds will just pass through the intestinal tract whole without being assimilated into the body.
Be aware that, ground up flax seeds and flax oil are extremely perishable. Therefore, only purchase ground flax seeds from firms that vacuum pack their product. Better yet, buy a flax seed grinder and make your own fresh flax seed powder.
When purchasing flax oil make sure that the oil is packaged in opaque containers that keep out light, as flax oil is extremely light sensitive. Flax oil will only last only about three weeks after opening the bottle before going rancid even when kept refrigerated.
Because of all these concerns it would seem that the best way to receive your intake of flax oil is through flax oil capsules as there is no concern about rancidity due to the fact that the sealed capsules keep the oil fresh.
Flax oil can be used liberally without reservation. Drizzle it on fresh salads, or mix some with your favorite fruit drink. Use it as a topping on popcorn, potatoes, or other foods you might otherwise flavor with butter.
Those that suffer from skin disorders such as psoriasis and eczema should ingest at the very least one tablespoon a day of flax oil, as studies have shown that the essential fatty acids in flaxseed oil, have very potent anti-inflammatory actions and overall skin-soothing properties.
To learn more about the healing powers of Flax seeds, read The Healing Power of Flax : How to Protect Your Body Against Heart Disease, Arthritis, Chronic Pain and Inflammation With This Remarkable Food by Herb Joiner-Bey, N. D.
2. Perilla oil – Perilla oil is a very rich source of the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid.
Perilla oil is obtained by pressing the seeds of perilla, which contain 35 to 45 percent oil. In parts of Asia, perilla oil is used as an edible oil that is valued more for its medicinal benefit than its flavor.
Unfortunately, both fish-oil and flaxseed-oil supplements can have digestive side effects, ranging from an unpleasant taste to noxious burping, nausea, and diarrhea.
Perilla oil appears to be the most inexpensive and best-tolerated source of these valuable compounds. It delivers all of the benefits of omega-3 EFAs and in some cases appears to be even more powerful than fish or flaxseed oil. Most importantly, it’s free of the digestive side effects that many people suffer with the traditional sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
A daily intake of six 1,000 mg capsules provides 3.3 gm of essential Omega-3 oil, alpha-linolenic acid. Because dietary fiber can absorb both good and bad fatty acids, it is desirable to take Perilla Oil at a different time than fiber. For maximum metabolic regulation in the body, fatty acids require adequate co-dependent nutrients such as magnesium, zinc, vitamins C and B3.
3. Evening Primrose Oil – Evening Primrose Oil is a good source of gamma-linolenic Acid. Research has proven that GLA is beneficial in preventing disorders such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and multiple sclerosis.
GLA has also been shown to:
- Reduce the pain and stiffness associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
- Decrease the itching associated with eczema and psoriasis.
To learn more read: Secrets of Evening Primrose Oil by Monica Reinagel.
4. Borage Oil – Borage Oil is derived from the seeds of the borage plant. Borage Oil is nature’s richest source of the nutritionally important omega-6 fatty acid Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA).
Clinical research shows that Borage Oil helps maintain healthy moisturized skin and joint flexibility. GLA supplementation is important since GLA is rarely found in foods and many factors block the body’s ability to make it on its own. Borage Oil with its unusually high GLA content has been the subject of numerous clinical research studies worldwide.
Take 2 capsules daily with a meal.
5. Black Currant Oil - Black Currant Oil supplies essential fatty acid precursors to prostaglandin’s that are important hormone-like modifiers of blood pressure, clotting functions, cholesterol production, and blood circulation. Black Currant Oil promotes healthy skin being that it contains a natural balance of both the omega-6 and the omega-3 fatty acids.
5. Extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, Organic Coconut Oil organic soy oil, walnuts, walnut oil and avocadoes.
6. Fresh raw dark green leafy vegetables and their juices.
Green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, parsley, endive, broccoli and beet-tops are super sources of Omega-3 linolenic acids.
Click here to access a wealth of articles pertaining to the health benefits of the various sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
In conclusion, common sense dictates that you have to start eating more foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids.
It would therefore be advisable to make a strong effort to incorporate "healthful" fats in the form of essential fatty acid-rich oils such as flaxseed oil in place of dangerous trans, hydrogenated, and saturated fats. Watch for these "stealth fats" by reading food labels carefully before you choose.
