Omega-3 - Essential Fatty Acids for Health
Omega-3 FAQ
What are omega-3s & why are they important?
Omega-3s are a family of fats that are important for your health. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is an essential dietary fat. You need ALA to make other omega-3 fats called long-chain (LCN-3). Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are LCN-3 fats. ALA makes these in your body. This happens slowly and only small amounts are formed.
What are omega-3 fatty acids?
Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of three important types of fat: ALA, DHA, and EPA. Getting enough of each type may help keep your retinas, brain, and other parts of your body in healthy function. Omega-3 fatty acids are important fats that you must get from your diet. However, most people don’t know what they are.
What are the different types of omega-3s?
There are three types of omega-3s; DHA, EPA, and ALA. Potential health benefits of omega-3s include protecting heart health, brain function, eye health, and lowering the risk of some chronic diseases. Food sources of omega-3s include fatty fish, walnuts, flaxseed, and algae. Dietary supplements are available to help meet omega-3 needs.
What is the omega-3 index?
The omega-3 index proposed by Harris and von Schacky reflects the content of EPA plus DHA in erythrocyte membranes expressed as a percentage of total erythrocyte fatty acids [ 20, 21 ]. This index can be used as a surrogate for assessing tissue levels of EPA plus DHA [ 16, 22, 23 ].
Omega-3 References
If you want to know more about Omega-3, consider exploring links below:
What Is Omega-3
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-are-omega-3-fatty-acids
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-3_fatty_acid
- https://www.heartuk.org.uk/low-cholesterol-foods/omega-3-fats
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17290-omega-3-fatty-acids
- https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/omega-3.html
- https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/omega-3s-and-your-heart
Omega-3 Information
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