How often do we hear about the harmful effects of fat? We are taught as children to shun the stuff. Surrounded by anti-fat information, fat naturally has taken a bad rep. But actually some lipids are vital to our survival. On a recent visit to my friend in the hospital, I noticed that he was hooked up to two bags of fluids. The nurse explained that because he was not eating, one contained the vitamins and minerals he needed to live and the other contained the lipids that were equally essential.
The fats that she referred to are essential fatty acids or EFAs. EFAs are necessary acids that the body cannot create naturally because humans do not have the desaturase enzymes required for their production. Therefore they must be acquired through diet. There are two classes of EFAs: Omega-3 (Linolenic Acid) and Omega-6 (Linoleic Acid). Omega-9 is another fatty acid the body needs but is not considered “essential” because the body can produce it on its own if it has enough Omega-3 and Omega-6. When first discovered, they were termed Vitamin F, but changed later to EFAs since they relate more to fats than vitamins.
These fats work within your body to sustain the cardiovascular, reproductive, nervous, and immune systems and to do a number of tasks including helping with inflammation, cell signals, mood, behavior, and other cell functions. We need EFAs to take care of the cells within our bodies. They produce and mend cell membranes, allowing the cells to reach optimum health and release destructive waste. This is especially important in the cells of your heart.
If you do not have enough fatty acids in your diet serious health issues can occur. It is linked with heart attacks, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, and asthma to name a few. Depression is a growing problem in the United States, and people who suffer from it will tell you that they feel out of control. This is because often their body is out of control because of an imbalance of chemicals within their body. EFA deficiency is directly linked to depression because of the endocannabinoids found in EFAs which act as intercellular lipid messengers that impact mood. So taking EFAs can be a way to put your body back in order if there is a chemical problem.
EFAs are found in some foods such as walnuts, avocado, some kinds of fish, hemp oil, soya oil, canola oil, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and leafy green vegetables. Flaxseed oil has the highest level of any food. Unfortunately, high heat breaks down linolenic acid so we often do not get nutrients from cooking in the oil. EFA’s are difficult to consume by diet alone and supplements are recommended to make sure you are not deficient.
Of course it is important to moderate fat intake, especially with saturated animal fats, which are often in low nutrient products. But adding EFAs to your diet can help you to avoid some major health pitfalls. This is one kind of fat you are allowed take without feeling guilty.
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