TYPES OF OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS

 There are three types of omega-3s:

 ALA (alpha-linolenic acid)

 EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)

 DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)

    ALA fats, which come from plant foods, are mostly metabolized in your intestines and liver and are needed for energy. ALA can be converted in your body to the other two long-chain omega-3s, EPA and DHA, which offer more potent health benefits than ALA. EPA helps manage inflammation in the body, and DHA is crucial for maintaining brain health.

    Unfortunately, plant foods don’t contain EPA or DHA, except microalgae and seaweed. So those who rely on ALA from plant foods to convert into EPA and DHA are often not getting enough.

    On top of this, research indicates that most of us are not very eficiente in converting ALA to EPA and DHA. For example, one serving of flaxseed oil contains no EPA or DHA. While it does have 7.3g of ALA, the conversion rates to EPA and DHA are only 5% and 0.5%, respectively!

    Also, many people consume too much linoleic acid, a type of omega-6 fatty acid, relative to their intake of ALA, which can interfere with the conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA. This is because some omega-6s compete for the same enzymes for these conversions to occur. Omega-6 linoleic fatty acids are found in most vegetable oils, with sunflower, corn, soybean, safflower, and cottonseed oils containing the highest amounts. The standard Western diet typically provides too much omega-6s compared to omega-3s. However, omega-6s are not bad; you just need them in the right proportion to omega-3s.

So what’s the ideal ratio of the two?

    The optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3s is somewhere between 4:1 to 1:1. The standard Western diet, on average, falls around 16:1!

    For males and females over 14 years, the recommended daily intake of omega-3s is 1.6g and 1.1g, respectively. However, this is based only on ALA intake. While there are no official guidelines for DHA and EPA, research indicates that combined EPA and DHA intake should be between 250-500mg per day for adults. The bad news is that most American adults are only getting around 90 mg per day of EPA and DHA combined, which is between one-third and one-sixth of the amount required!

    While we are not advocating eating animal foods, it is essential to take deliberate steps to meet your omega-3 requirements on a plant-based diet.

 HOW TO GET MORE IN YOUR DIET

     Omega-3 fatty acids must be acquired through the diet as the body cannot produce them. Plant foods high in omega-3s include avocados, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, pecans, pine nuts, olives, and olive oil.

    Some ideas to help you increase your dietary intake of omega-3s include:

- Sprinkle seeds on your porridge or in your salads.

- Add nuts and seeds or avocado to your smoothie

- Have avocado on gluten-free toast in the morning or add it to your lunch-time salad.

-Have nuts or olives as a snack.

-Use hempseed or flaxseed oil as part of your salad dressing.

-Use flaxseed or hempseed oil instead of butter on your gluten-free bread.

-Utilise the many recipes on the internet to make plant-based desserts with nuts, seeds and even avocado.

-Make sure you are consuming a healthful, whole-food, plant-based diet. By consuming sufficient protein, vitamins and minerals, you will maximize your body’s ability to convert ALA to EPA and DHA. In addition, watch your intake of omega-6s in vegetable oils to improve the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Choose oils such as extra virgin olive oil that have a good omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Last but not least, consider taking a plant-based omega-3 supplement derived from microalgae.