Omega-3 fatty acids, or n-3 fatty acids, are essential fats that play a significant role in maintaining health. They contribute to many basic, normal physiological processes including nervous system function and blood clotting. A diet rich in omega-3s is associated with lower risks of heart disease and stroke, and they may also help protect against some forms of cancer and autoimmune diseases, reports the Harvard School of Public Health.
Essential Nutrients
Unlike many other types of fats, omega-3s are essential nutrients. This means the human body needs them to function optimally, but it cannot synthesize them; you must obtain them from food. Omega-3s play an essential role in the basic structure of cell membranes throughout the body. They also provide the building blocks for hormones that influence the function of the circulatory and immune systems.
Chemical Features
Omega-3s are polyunsaturated fats. This means they have double bonds connecting specific carbon atoms that make up their chemical structure. Other fats don't have double bonds and are called saturated fats. Fats with one double bond are labeled monounsaturated fatty acids. Fats such as omega-3s with more than one double bond are called polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Types of Omega-3s
There are three types of omega-3 fatty acids that contribute to a healthy diet: "Marine omega-3s", eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, which are found in fish. Nuts and vegetable oils are sources of the third type: 3 alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA. ALA is the most common omega-3 found in American diets and it is used mostly for energy. The body can convert only a little bit of ALA into EPA or DHA, which is why nutritionists recommend eating fish once or twice a week.
Sources and Benefits
Walnuts are a particularly rich source of ALA. So are canola, or rapeseed, and soybean vegetable oils. ALA is found in leafy vegetables such as spinach, salad greens, Brussels sprouts and kale. Flax seeds, flax seed oil, and the fat of some grass fed animals also provide ALA. Fatty fish such as salmon are the main source of EPA and DHA. These essential nutrients are now suspected of having a positive effect on diseases such as lupus, eczema, and rheumatoid arthritis, in addition to their more documented benefits in the prevention of heart disease and stroke, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
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