Know Fats that are Essential for You

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)





Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are the good Fats that human bodies cannot synthesize. Thus, we need to depend upon external sources to fulfil this need in order to achieve our overall health. Our cell membranes do the function of regulation of absorbing the Nutrition while eliminating the toxic substance. EFAs are important for its manufacturing and repair. Besides, EFAs are established to provide best support to our cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, and nervous systems.

Our brain is 60 percent fat and to build our brain cells we need fatty acids. Two kinds of fatty acids are considered "essential," which must be there in the foods we wat - Linoleic acid and Linolenic acid.
Linoleic fatty acid is omega-6 fatty acids and linolenic fatty acids are called Omega-3 fatty acids.While a healthy ratio can be between 10:1 or 5:1; experts suggest an ideal intake ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids to be1:1 and 4:1 as suggested by experts.  EFAs produce prostaglandins which help contraction and relaxation of smooth muscles. Dilation and constriction of blood vessels control of blood pressure and modulation of inflammation. 

Food sources of Omega-3 ALA include flax seeds, chia seeds,walnuts, sea vegetables, and green leafy vegetables. Flaxseed oil (flaxseed oil has the highest linolenic content of any Food Food sources of omega-6 LA include expeller cold-pressed sunflower, safflower, corn, and Sesame oils. ALA & LA are converted to DHA.

The Brain Food:DHA

Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), an Omega-3 essential fatty acid is the most abundant fat in our brain. Refined sugars, stress, infections and deficiency of other vitamins, oxidation and other reasons may not suffice the formation of DHA. Therefore DHA is advised to taken from direct sources like Fish oil (salmon, mackerel, tuna fish).