Dietary Guidelines for Americans, or DGA, reports that certain nutrients are only found in sufficient quantities in fats and oils. Omega 3 fatty acids are an important example. If the dietary balance of fatty acids is wrong it is still possible to be deficient in omega 3 even if there is enough on your dinner plate. To ensure you get the right amount of omega 3 you need to understand a bit about how it is digested and metabolized.
Fatty Acids
West Valley College reports that fatty acids form part of all fats and oils, often called lipids by health professionals. There are many kinds of fatty acids such as saturates, or SFA, common in fats that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, or CVD. Health promoting polyunsaturates, often called PUFAs, are common in oils. The metabolic effects of lipids depend upon the fatty acids they contain. DGA advises that "replacing SFA with unsaturated fats is more effective in decreasing CVD risk than ... reducing total fat intake."
Essential Fatty Acids
The Vegetarian Society reports that omega 3s are often called essential fatty acids because they cannot be synthesized by your body and so must be included in the diet. Another group of essential fatty acids called omega 6 is very similar in the way the body uses them. For example, both types of omegas prevent and control inflammatory diseases. However, because omega 3 and 6 cannot be converted into each other, each type is essential in the diet. You need to know about omega 6s because they are digested and metabolized in a very similar way to omega 3 and this can cause problems if your diet is not balanced.
Digestion
Omega 3s are taken into the body, or digested, in just the same way as all other fatty acids. They are first emulsified into tiny oil droplets in the small intestine and then broken down into fatty acids and glycerol by digestive enzymes. Glycerol holds fatty acids together in every single lipid. Once lipids are broken down to fatty acids and glycerol, they pass through the intestinal wall into the blood stream.
Metabolism
Both omegas 3 and 6 are used to synthesize a range of metabolically important fatty acids. For example, omega 3s are used to synthesize docosahexaenoic acid, which is known to be important in childhood neurological development and visual acuity.
Unfortunately, simply consuming more Omega 3's may not be enough to ensure good health. DGA reports that, once digested, they are poorly converted to docosahexaenoic acid. What is more, Omega 3's are metabolized by the same enzymes as Omega 6's with the result that when there is an excess of Omega 6, Omega 3 metabolism is reduced.
Balancing Act
The Vegetarian Society recommends a 3-to-1 dietary ratio of omega 6 to omega 3. Too much omega 6, excess alcohol and sugar consumption, as well as deficiencies in zinc or certain vitamins, can reduce omega 3 metabolism.
If omega 3 metabolism is reduced you are more likely to suffer a wide range of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, macular degeneration and asthma. Cardiovascular diseases and age-related memory loss are also more likely. Early symptoms include fatigue, mood swings and poor memory.
Recommended Foods
DGA recommends cold water oily fish such as salmon and trout as good sources of omega 3 fatty acids. The Vegetarian Society suggest green leafy vegetables, milk and eggs for all types of omega fatty acids but walnuts, hempseed and flaxseed specifically for omega 3.
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