A fatty acid is a simple lipid, or fat, that is classified according to the number of carbons and the number of double bonds it possesses. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are a type of fatty acid that contain two or more carbon-carbon double bonds....
N-3, or omega-3, polyunsaturated fatty acids are a healthy type of fatty acid that contains many benefits to health including a role in preventing coronary disease. Omega-3's are found in a variety of foods including cold water fish, flaxseed,...
A nutrient is considered essential if you need it for good health, but you need to get it from the diet because your body cannot synthesize it. Essential nutrients for humans include vitamins, minerals, certain amino acids from proteins and two...
Depression is a chronic mood disorder characterized by feelings of sadness, anger and loss of interest in life. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, it is a common illness that affects 18 million Americans every year. If you...
Linoleic acid is an essential polyunsaturated fatty acid, also known as an omega-6 fatty acid. Linoleic acid makes part of the lipid component of all of the cell membranes in your body. According to a study that appeared in the April to June 2009...
Your body needs omega-6 fatty acids, but it can't manufacture them on its own. It's essential that you to consume these polyunsaturated fats in your diet - that's why they're referred to as "essential fatty acids." Luckily you don't have to go...
Flaxseeds range in color from golden yellow to reddish brown. These seeds can be cold-pressed to produce flaxseed oil. Flaxseeds come from the flax plant, technically known as linum usitatissimum. The flax plant produces blue flowers, and the...
Women expect to have symptoms like bleeding, pain and cramping during their menstrual cycles. But there is evidence that some symptoms can be lessened by ingesting fish oils and cod liver oil in particular. This oil, that is made from codfish...
Making coconut oil is a rewarding and educational project for the entire family. Coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils and is rather expensive so making your own is not only fun but also make economic sense. Coconut oil consists of more than...
Fish oil, also referred to as omega-3, is a common health topic of discussion. Increasing omega-3 in the diet is an easy and inexpensive way of improving cardiovascular health, whether by adding more servings of seafood, such as salmon, or by...
Fatty liver disease commonly strikes the obese and diabetics. While the fat accumulation usually poses no symptoms, in some cases, it can lead to inflammation and scarring that can result in liver failure. As of 2011, no medications or medical...
Peanut oil, a versatile and widely used cooking oil, is generally considered safe. It contains primarily healthy fats, although excessive amounts of omega-6 found in peanut oil's polyunsaturated fatty acid content may cause concern. Highly...
Several types of fatty acids exist and they have different effects on heart disease. It is important to understand the differences, since some fatty acids increase the risk for heart disease. Diet plays a role in decreasing risk for heart disease....
According to MayoClinic.com, your best options, when choosing fats, are foods rich in unsaturated fats, specifically monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. If you consume these fats in place of less healthful fats, such as saturated and trans...
Only two fatty acids are considered essential because the human body cannot make them on its own. They are the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid and the omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid known as linoleic acid. These...
Fish oil can be found in capsules or consumed through diet. Fish oils are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which is a polyunsaturated fatty acid. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are healthy for you and are typically found in plants, vegetables and fish....
Everyone feels down from time to time, but if you are experiencing intense sadness, worry, anxiety and have lost interest in life, you may have depression. A serious mental illness, depression may be triggered by a number of things such as stress...
Omega-3 research goes back over the last four decades, but the British physiologist, Hugh Sinclair, first proposed that a deficiency in fatty acids might explain the increase in heart disease in Western societies in the 1940s, according to...
You need to get essential fatty acids from your diet because your body cannot synthesize them. The essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids. Linoleic acid, or LA, is an omega-6 fat, and alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, docosahexaenoic...
Fish oil pills are a supplement taken for their omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid benefits. This fatty acid can be difficult to obtain through the diet because it is not found in many foods. The benefits of omega-3 fatty acids include improved...
Both olive oil and corn oil are frequently used in cooking and the manufacture of food. Olive oil has a strong reputation for health benefits. Although corn oil did not offer the same health benefits at the time of publication, researchers were...
Polyunsaturated fats are a category of health-promoting unsaturated fats. According to sources such as the Mayo Clinic website, the American Heart Association and the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, when choosing fats your best option is to...
Fish oil is described as long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, comprised primarily of eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA and docosahexaenoic acid or DHA, according to the February 2010 "Clinical Journal of Pain." Your brain contains an...
Omega-3 is a type of fatty acid essential to the functions of many living organisms, including humans. It cannot be manufactured by the body and must be obtained through the diet from fish oil such as mackerel, salmon, tuna and cod. The average...
Fats are components of every cell in your body, and they are necessary for other functions, such as vision, nervous system signaling and hormone function. Fats in food and in your body are made up of fatty acids, and your body can synthesize some...
The palm tree Elaeis guineensis is native to tropical West African riverbank forests and swamps. Palm oil is expressed from its outer fruit pulp, and palm kernel oil is expressed from its seed. Palm kernel oil contains a range of saturated fatty...
One of the main reasons why fish is so healthy is because many types of fish, such as salmon and mackerel, contain omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are components of food that, according to the American Heart Association, can reduce risk...
Sesame oil is used as a cooking oil and flavor additive in Asian cuisine. Oils may be cold pressed from raw seeds, producing a golden oil, or pressed from toasted seeds, producing a brown oil. Sesame oil contains vitamin E as well as high amounts...
Irritable Bowel Syndrome causes persistent discomfort and disruption of normal bowel function. Managing IBS often focuses on living a healthier, lower-stress lifestyle but the effective combination of factors can vary widely between individuals....
