What You Should Know About Essential Fatty Acids
by Vin Miller
Although the importance of essential fatty acids has become a mainstream topic, many people still don’t know exactly what they are or why they’re important. As a result, it’s common for such people to be consuming them in imbalanced or inadequate amounts and be wasting money on supplements that they don’t need.
As with most widespread health information, the food industry takes full advantage of the benefits and popularity of essential fatty acids by using them to market foods that are highly processed and unhealthy. Because of this, many people are consuming these critical fatty acids from less desirable sources and may be compromising their health as a result. To avoid this, it’s important that you know what essential fatty acids are, what they do, and what the best sources are.
What Are Essential Fatty Acids?
Essential fatty acids are fats that we cannot produce ourselves and must therefore obtain from our diets. There are two essential fatty acids which are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), more commonly known as an omega 3 fatty acid, and linoleic acid (LA) which is an omega 6 fatty acid.
Essential fatty acids are precursors to prostaglandins which are a class of hormones that regulate important physiological functions relating to blood circulation, nerve function, inflammation, hormone regulation, and cell growth. The production of prostaglandins is dependent on the body’s ability to convert the two essential fatty acids into other types of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are omega 3 fatty acids that are derived from ALA, and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and arachidonic acid (AA) are omega 6 fatty acids that are derived from LA. Because the derivation of these fatty acids can be impaired by a number of factors, it’s beneficial to obtain them from dietary sources as well which is why they’re often referred to as conditionally essential fatty acids.
A Need For Balance
Based on the diets that humans are believed to have consumed for millions of years, and according to Mary Enig who is a respected authority on fats, it’s generally recommended that essential fatty acids represent roughly 2% to 3% of our caloric intake and that 2 to 3 times as much omega 6 fatty acids are consumed as omega 3 fatty acids. Despite this, the typical modern diet is generally deficient in omega 3 fatty acids and excessively high in omega 6 fatty acids. In fact, it’s common for people to eat more than 20 times more omega 6 fatty acids than omega 3, and this type of imbalance is associated with significant health issues including heart disease, stroke, cancer, mood disorders, arthritis, osteoporosis, inflammation, and obesity.
The popularity of industrially farmed foods and processed foods is the primary reason why essential fatty acid imbalances have become so common. Most meat and dairy is produced by conventional farmers who’ve chosen to sacrifice quality in favor of profitability and efficiency by feeding their livestock with unnatural grain based diets. Because grains are high in omega 6 fatty acids and aren’t eaten by these animals in nature, this results in meat and dairy products that are unnaturally high in omega 6 fatty acids and low in omega 3 fatty acids. Likewise, most processed foods are made with grains and vegetable oils which makes them excessively high in omega 6 fatty acids as well.
Because processed food and conventionally farmed meats and produce are so popular, many people are consuming much more omega 6 fatty acids than they should be and not nearly enough omega 3 fatty acids. In contrast, because the importance of omega 3 fatty acids has been emphasized so strongly, some people are overcompensating with excessive omega 3 supplementation and are actually creating an imbalance in the opposite direction.
Deceptive Labeling
With the many people who are now going out of their way to include additional essential fatty acids in their diet, food manufacturers are boasting about omega 3 and omega 6 content on the labeling of their products. Some of these claims are based primarily on omega 6 content which is the opposite of what most people need. More importantly, the simple fact that a product contains omega 3 or omega 6 fatty acids doesn’t mean that it’s a healthy food. In fact, some of these products are highly processed, may even contain dangerous trans fats, and are unhealthy enough to outweigh any of the benefits that may be obtained from the essential fatty acids that they contain.
The Best Sources of Essential Fatty Acids
As with most nutrients, the most natural and sensible approach is to obtain essential fatty acids from natural whole foods which is exactly what we’ve been doing for millions of years.
Walnuts, flax seed oil, chia seeds, and hemp seed oil are common sources of the essential omega 3 fatty acid ALA. Seafood is an excellent source of the conditionally essential fatty acids EPA and DHA which aren’t always properly derived from ALA. Vegetable oils are the most common source of the omega 6 fatty acid LA, and its conditionally essential derivative GLA is found in borage oil, black currant oil, evening primrose oil, and hemp seed oil. Meat, dairy, and eggs from pasture raised animals are all good sources of both omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. By following a diet that’s based on a healthy balance of these foods and doesn’t include excessive amounts of vegetable oils, essential fatty acid balance should take care of itself and be of little concern.
For the highest quality sources of essential fatty acids, choose meats, eggs, and dairy from pasture raised animals and wild caught fish from minimally contaminated water. If you choose to use supplements, fish oils, or vegetable oils, be sure to get them from a reputable source and store them properly to minimize the risk of oxidation and rancidity. Although supplements and oils are reasonable choices, I prefer to rely mostly on seafood, pasture raised meat, and raw nuts for essential fatty acids.
For more information on essential fatty acids and fats in general, I highly recommend reading Know Your Fats by Mary Enig PhD.
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So wait, Twinkies fortified with Omega 3s aren’t healthy?! LOL!
I love how every time a study shows we should be consuming more of some nutrient, every packaged food in the supermarket is loudly fortified with it. I found a good all natural and mercury free fish and flaxseed oil supplement, and I only take on the days I don’t eat a food that naturally supplies omega 3s. After much reading, I do think this omega 3/omega 6 balance theory is the real deal, but we HAVE to get away from the idea that we can separate food into it’s tiny little parts and reconfigure it as a breakfast cereal/yogurt drink/chicken nugget.
Thanks, great article!
Hi Kim, thanks for your comment!
No, Twinkies with fortified omega 3 aren’t healthy. Sorry.
I certainly agree that the omega 3 to omega 6 ration is the real deal. It sounds like you have a good strategy for maintaining it. As long as you’re eating well on a regular basis, I don’t think an occasional day of not consuming an adequate balance of omega 3 and omega 6 will make much of a difference, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with supplementing to be safe as long as it’s from a quality source. What is the supplement that you’re using? It sounds like a good one that others might be interested in.
I absolutely agree that we can’t reverse engineer our diets and rely on invented foods regardless of how much they’re fortified with nutrients. To assume that we can is completely disregarding the complexity of nature as well as our dependence on it.
I am always a little embarrassed to confess the brand because I originally ran across it on the Home Shopping Network! It’s called Essential Omega 3 from procapslabs.com. He oversells the benefits of his supplements (duh, right?) but there are no additives or artificial ingredients involved. And I’ve never experienced any of the “distasteful” side effects that some of omega supplements can bring.
Thanks, Kim. Nobody has to know how you found it.
Some omega 3 supplements also contain vitamin E to help offset any oxidation that might occur (omega 3 and omega 6 are types of unsaturated fatty acids which are unstable and susceptible to oxidation). I noticed that the product you’re using doesn’t contain vitamin E, so you may want to consider including some through a separate supplement. It will also help to store the omega 3 supplement in your refrigerator.
I used to use the cod liver oil and fish oil from Carlson Labs and both products contain vitamin E.
LOL..Kim. I couldn’t believe my eyes the other day when I saw Fruit Loops being advertised containing Vit D! Those companies must be so desperate that they would have to spend their advertising money like that. With more people getting educated (hopefully), they probably know their manufacturing days may soon be over.
Even worse, Cocoa Krispies recently had a label claiming that it boosts immunity. I think it’s more a matter of greed than desperation, but it’s equally bad either way.
Vin, would you recommend a Fermented Cod Liver Oil like Dr. Ron’s or a quality Krill Oil (which I understand all brands come from the same source) for supplementation? I am torn; WAPF highly recommends Dr. Ron’s while Mercola highly recommends Krill Oil. I trust both sources – what are your thoughts?
Hi Chris,
I’m not sure if it’s the same exact product, but I’ve used the fermented cod liver oil and butter oil blend from Green Pasture’s. However, I was using it more for vitamin D than essential fatty acids. Despite the criticisms about cod liver oil that have surfaced, I trust this product more than krill oil. Although I don’t have anything to back this up, I was told by someone I trust that krill oil often contains high levels of arsenic.
All of this uncertainty surrounding supplements is another reason why I prefer to rely on whole foods as much as I can.
Yikes! Thanks, I’ll make the switch.
I’m confused. Often you recommend butter, but you also said recently:
“my basic diet is completely free of grain and dairy”
I thought butter was a dairy product. How are you defining dairy? What about cream, yogurt, etc.?
I’m sure you’ve discussed these items before, but I wondered if you could clarify the differences?
“Clarified butter” … no pun intended.
Hi Jim,
Yes, in my article about my personal eating habits, I said that my basic diet doesn’t include grain or dairy. However, as I mentioned in this article, I do eat some dairy and gluten free grain on occasion when I eat out.
Unfortunately, a lot of people seem to discount the importance of individuality and incorrectly perceive my personal eating habits as what I recommend for everyone else. I avoid grain and dairy based on personal preference and the fact that I don’t digest either of them very well. However, as the work of Dr. Weston A. Price clearly shows, it’s possible to thrive on a diet that includes properly prepared grains and raw dairy. As such, just because I avoid them doesn’t mean that I think everyone else should as well. I do think that grain and dairy are two of the first foods that should be eliminated by people who are trying to resolve chronic health problems, but that’s a different discussion.
Butter is definitely a dairy product, although it’s generally less of a digestive concern than milk because it contains much less of the casein (milk protein) and lactose (milk sugar) that generally cause issues. Yogurt and cream are definitely dairy as well and both are generally easier to digest than milk. Yogurt is fermented and contains minimal lactose, and because cream is primarily the fat from milk, it contains less lactose and casein.
Yogurt made from goat’s milk is supposed to be extremely good for digestive health and I may give it a try in the future if I can find a convenient source of it.
Clarified butter, also called ghee, is technically dairy but should be free of lactose and casein, or at least very close to it. I actually use ghee quite a bit, so technically, my basic diet isn’t entirely dairy free.
Hi Vin, I take Udo’s Choice to make sure I get enough EFA’s in a good balance. I also take some, but not a lot of distilled EPA and DHA because old people like me don’t always convert ALA well enough. I hope that now that I’m avoiding grain-fed beef I’m not overloading so much on omega 6.
Hi Stephen, thanks for your comment!
It’s great that you’re already aware of the importance of consuming EPA and DHA in case of insufficient conversion from ALA. Don’t forget that seafood is a great source of EPA and DHA.
You just have to be careful about getting it from a good source (which is the case with supplements as well).
Grass fed beef has a much more desirable ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 and should definitely be helping. Restricting your consumption of grain and vegetable oils should help as well.
Hi Vin – great article! Our family takes Green Pasture’s fermented cod liver oil and we eat all the natural oils – organic extra virgin coconut, olive, and cold-pressed grapeseed oil (we use the grapeseed oil because we really don’t eat refined, processed, inflammatory foods and this summer my nutritional therapist found that I was actually deficient in Omega 6s…imagine that!).
I also take Udo’s organic 3-6-9 oil. And we eat grass-fed butter, lard from pasture-raised pigs, and tallow from grass-fed meats. My nutritional therapist yesterday told me that eating real, grass-fed butter is not really the same as eating most dairy because the fat and Omega 3s are so concentrated because of its nutritional density as a food. Many people who flat out don’t eat other dairy could benefit tremendously from the nutritional benefits of butter from eating that every day. Of course, I also truly believe in the power of organic, whole, raw milk, kefir, yogurt, butter, cheese and cream as well. But I know some people simply cannot tolerate dairy or don’t want to try raw dairy….good thing there are other choices!
Thanks, Raine! It sounds like you’re choosing a lot of great fats!
I believe what your nutritionist says about butter from grass fed cows, especially if it’s spring butter that contains the “activator X” that Weston Price identified.
I agree with you about the dairy, but I’m unfortunately one of the people who doesn’t tolerate it well. The last time I tried raw milk, it wasn’t a pleasant experience! I can tolerate fermented dairy, though.
Hi Vin,
Excellent post as usual. I ensure that I get my essential fatty acids by putting a couple of teaspoons worth of ground flaxseed and half a tbsp of coconut oil into my shake in the morning. I alternate this shake with different breakfasts every morning (today was low fat cottage cheese with granola and a slice of cantaloupe), so I don’t think I’m overdoing it. Either way, the shake tastes great, I bought both the flaxseed and the coconut oil from an organic grocery store, and I’m feeling great!
Thanks, Phil!
Flax seeds are a great source of the omega 3 fatty acid ALA, but don’t forget to get some EPA and DHA omega 3 from quality seafood as well!
Coconut oil is a great addition to your shake, but it contains only a minimal amount of the omega 6 fatty acid LA and isn’t really a notable source of essential fatty acids.
Why not full fat cottage cheese?
Also, be careful if you’re having the same shake every single day. Doing so may cause you to develop food sensitivities to some of its ingredients.
Hmm. Good point. I’m actually cutting it back to alternating days, and I tend to change what fruit I put in it. But it’s so delicious and convenient that I don’t think I’ll be able to have it less than three times/week.
And excellent question on the cottage cheese. Hadn’t even thought about it when I snatched it up. Next time, full fat it is (plus I’m sure it’ll taste better too).
Thanks for the response!
I love the great info that you are providing, but I must say I think we should all look at the problem of our society getting too much estrogen and estrogen like substances. And it looks as tho flax is high in estrogen. It would do you a great service to study the information of Daniel Vitalis.
I am also wanting to get into fermented foods as it is not so much what we eat as what our bacteria eats that is what nourishes us.
~Scott
Scott,
Scott said, “Its not so much what we eat… its what I friendly bacteria eats that nourishes us.”
I have never heard that before. That is an interesting statement that really causes me to concentrate on what my gut may need. I consume a good bit of fermented foods: kefir, cultured veg’s, and viili but I have not paid as much attention to prebiotics.
Lee
Hi Lee,
You might be interested in what Jordan Rubin and Dr. Joseph Brasco, authors of Restoring Your Digestive Health, have to say about prebiotics:
“The problem with prebiotics is that selectively feeding bacteria in the gut is not a realistic proposition. Instead of selectively feeding intestinal flora, prebiotics most likely feed all the bacteria, friendly and unfriendly.
Popular prebiotic supplements include FOS and inulin. In our experience, these supplements do not help patients, but instead cause them to develop bloating and gas. We have seen patients become significantly worse by taking FOS and inulin. … lacto-fermented foods, and whole-food probiotic products serve as excellent probiotics and prebiotics in their own right. You don’t need prebiotic supplements.”
Hi Scott,
Yes, phytoestrogens are definitely a concern, especially with the popularity of soy and the prominence of xenoestrogens from plastics. Thank you for bringing this up.
I’m a big fan of fermented foods and the critical importance of intestinal flora, but I still think we need to have a balanced outlook of feeding ourselves as well as the bacteria.
Do you have any recommendations for increasing a two-year-old’s intake of essential fatty acids? We are vegetarian, so that makes it more challenging. I’m willing to give her fish oil, but since she can’t swallow a capsule, it’s a bit of a challenge.
Hi Dorian,
If you’re willing to give your daughter fish oil, why not just feed her high quality seafood? If that’s not a viable option, how about using a fish oil supplement in oil form rather than capsules?
I guess as a lifelong vegetarian who is pretty repulsed by the smell of fish (sorry — I realize it can be a very healthy choice, it’s just never appealed to me, even as a child), the idea of needing to learn how to buy and cook fish — something I’ve never done once in 36 years, and never saw my parents do — is a little overwhelming. Maybe I should get over myself, but the reality is that I know I can deal with giving her a supplement, and I know I’ll probably avoid the task of buying and cooking fish, especially if I’m supposed to do so on a regular basis.
I did try giving her fish oil but she refused to drink it. Same problem when I mixed in orange juice (which she adores but we rarely give her, so it’s a real treat) — she tasted the juice and refused the rest. We did today buy some Nordic Naturals lemon-flavored fish oil gel caps, which she seems to adore — she’s been begging for more every time she notices the jar in the kitchen. So hopefully it will be a step in the right direction!
Hi Dorian,
That’s understandable, but fish is so good for you (assuming it’s not contaminated) that I think it’s worth giving it another try. In the meantime, it’s good to hear that you’ve found a way to get your daughter to consume some essential fatty acids.
Vin
When I tried EFA’s via fish oils, I cannot digest them and can’t tolerate the odor, so I have been taking daily, 1,000 mg flax seed oil and 1,000 mg of D3 oil capsules. I also regularly snank of healthy trail mix, nuts and seeds. Do you think I ‘m taking enough to benefit my health, and specifically, eliviate syptoms of depression? Thanks for your response!
Oh, in addition…I am allergic to most seafood, except maybe Northern caught cod, and flounder. I know I should eat more of this fish. Thanks!
Hi Lilly,
According to Mary Enig, author of Know Your Fats, we need about 1% to 1.5% of our calories to be from omega-3 fatty acids. For a 2,000 calorie diet, this would be between 2 to 3 grams, or about 1.5 teaspoons of flaxseed oil. Since flax oil is about 58% ALA, the 1 gram of flaxseed oil that you’re taking is providing roughly just more than half of a gram. Based on this, the 1 gram of flaxseed oil by itself is probably not enough, but your diet may be providing enough to make up the difference. Personally, I think it would be preferable to rely on your diet as much as possible anyway.
As I mentioned in the article, some people don’t convert the ALA form of omega-3 to the EPA and DHA forms. This is why seafood is often considered the best source of omega-3. Unlike flax, it contains EPA and DHA. As such, it might be worth making an effort to consume more of the seafood that you’re not allergic to.
It’s also important realize that there are many factors that contribute to depression. Exercise and reducing consumption of sugar and processed foods are perhaps two of the biggest. Eating enough protein to obtain the amino acids that are precursors to neurotransmitters can be a significant factor as well. Here’s an article I wrote about improving mood through diet that you may find helpful. It’s based on The Mood Cure by Julia Ross which is a great resource.