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Increasing Your FAT Intake

Are you getting enough fat in your diet? That may be a confusing question for some. Getting the right kind of fat is important when it comes to being healthy. The EFA’s (Essential fatty acids) “good fats” are not made by made the body and therefore must come from your diet. There are two families of EFAs: Omega-3 and Omega-6.

EFA’s are vital for cardiovascular, reproductive, immune and nervous systems. EFA’s also regulate body functions like heart rate, blood pressure, blood clotting, fertility, conceptions and immune function.

The benefits of consuming Omega 3’s:

• Reducing the risk of heart disease
• Decreasing blood pressure in the prevention of stroke
• Depression
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Joint pain and other rheumatoid problems, as well as certain
• Skin issues.
• Alzheimer’s disease.

The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon) at least 2 times a week.

While Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, Omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation. Both EFA’s work together to promote a healthier well balanced you. The typical American diet tends to contain 14 – 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore we must increase our intake of Omega 3’s not 6.

Omega 6 benefits:

• Skin health
• Lower cholesterol, and
• Help make our blood “sticky” so it is able to clot.

But when Omega-6s aren’t balanced with sufficient amounts of Omega-3s, problems can arise. The imbalance between Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids may also contribute to obesity. It is believed that many American consume too many Omega 6’s and not enough Omega 3’s. Omega-6 fatty acids are eaten more often than the Omega 3’s because they’re found in as eggs, poultry, cereals, vegetable oils, baked goods, margarine, seeds and nuts, and the oils. Refined vegetable oils, such as soy oil, are used in most of the snack foods, cookies, crackers, and sweets as well as in fast food.

But even if you don’t like fish (or choose not to eat it), you can still get what you need from dietary sources, the answer lies in plants rich in omega-3s — particularly flaxseed. Flaxseed is available in health food stores and many supermarkets, sold as whole seeds, ground seeds, or oil. Sources of omega-3s include canola oil, broccoli, cantaloupe, kidney beans, spinach, grape leaves, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, and walnuts.

21 Second Food Fact

1 ounce (one handful) of walnuts has about 2.5 grams of omega-3’s which is equal to a 3.5 ounce of salmon.

Now that you know a little about EFA (essential fatty acids) you’re probably thinking, “I can just take a supplement”. Wrong! Research has shown that the best sources of EFA’s are better absorbed from food not supplements.