The word “Omega” has received a lot of attention in the media. Omega 3’s and 6’s are necessary for good health and cannot be manufactured by the body. This is why they are called essential fatty acids (EFAs). EFAs play an important role in the structural strength of every cell membrane in the body and therefore help protect the cell from invaders. It helps in the regulation of all our body functions, including the cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, hormonal and nervous systems.

The safest dietary sources of EFAs are cold-pressed olive oil, peanut oil, avocado oil in dark bottles as these oils are sensitive to heat and light. Other sources are the naturally occurring fats in fish, eggs, fresh raw almonds, ground up flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, pecans. Organic flaxseed oil capsules make an excellent EFA supplement as the oil is not exposed to air (never heat flaxseed oil). Always keep oils refrigerated to preserve freshness.

Avoid processed polyunsaturated vegetable oils (e.g. safflower, sunflower, soy, corn) as they can be chemically unstable and break down in the body and cause disease.

Hydrogenated and trans fats are man made synthetic oils that are created with natural oils to become semi-solid fats. This process is used to prolong the shelf life of the many modern foods e.g. cookies, salad dressings, margarine and even cooking oils such as corn and safflower. These fats have also received a lot of media attention because scientists are discovering that these fats interfere with the healthy functioning of our bodies. At ALL cost avoid deep fried foods and rancid fats and oils.

For more information on nutritional planning or complete nutritional assessments contact Charlotte at charlottel@nb.aibn.com.


Disclaimer: The advice detailed in this article assumes that you are a normally healthy adult. The author, publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage suffered by individuals as a result of following advice in this article