Natural Sources For Essential Fatty Acids

Linolenic acid, an omega-6, and alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3, are essential fatty acids your body cannot produce, so you must get them through diet. These important fats play an integral role in immune and nerve function, as well as in inflammation reduction, platelet aggregation and maintenance of the fluidity of cell membranes. The adequate intake, or AI, for omega-3 fatty acids, as determined by the Institutes of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board, is 1.6 grams per day for males and 1.1 grams per day for females. Natural sources offer many advantages over supplements.

Fatty Fish

One of the best natural sources of omega-3 essential fats is wild-caught salmon. A 4-ounce serving of salmon contains a 1.5 gram mixture of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, the by-products of ALA that are commonly deficient in our diets. Herring, lake trout, sardines and mackerel are also very good sources, providing 1.5 to 3.3 grams of omega-3 fats per serving.

Flaxseed

Flaxseed is an excellent source of omega-3's, providing 1.75 grams in every tablespoon. In addition, flaxseed is versatile and can be added to a variety of foods, such as yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, smoothies, pancakes, casseroles and baked goods. Grinding the flaxseeds in a dedicated coffee grinder immediately prior to use keeps the seeds fresh and makes the omega-3 fats more available to the body. Flaxseed oil is a concentrated source of essential fats containing 50 to 60 percent omega-3's and 10 to 20 percent omega-6's.

Walnut Oil

Walnuts are a good source of essential fatty acids and protein. Walnut oil, however, provides a more concentrated source of fatty acids. Walnut oil offers a good balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fats, providing 2.4 grams of linoleic acid and 0.25 g of alpha-linolenic acid for only 40 calories in every teaspoon.

Gamma-Linolenic Acid

The omega-6 gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA, a product of linoleic acid, is considered a commonly deficient omega-6 fat by some experts due to a step in its production. Borage oil, black currant oil and evening primrose are good sources of GLA, providing approximately 22 percent, 16 percent and 9 percent, respectively, of the total fat in GLA form.

Other Sources

The following foods contain small amounts of essential fats, but still provide a multitude of vitamins and minerals and are good additions to your diet: scallops, cabbage, kale, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, leeks, chia seeds, butternuts, spirulina seaweed, beans, avocados, oat germ and egg yolks.