Omega 3 fatty acidsThere are a number of things you need to know about Omega 3 fatty acids because they can be very useful for weight loss. There are 3 divisions of omega 3 fatty acids and by the way that's why they are called omega 3. These three combined form the basis of what we now know as omega 3, They are each different and have different values in terms of nutrition. We shall be putting our attention primarily on the last two, DHA and EPA. ALA though is the most common but we are more interested in EPA and DHA and these dominate most of the fish oils. DHA is the more difficult to procure and in my belief is the most valuable. Luckily our bodies under the right circumstances are capable of converting EPA into DHA which to some degree overcomes this difficulty. EPA is capable of supporting our heart and circulation and it also supports our immune system. DHA on the other hand is very much associated with our brains, eyes and nervous system. In fact about a third of our brains are made up of DHA. It is essential for memory, cognitive function and learning. Because DHA supports fetal and infant brain development we find it in human breast milk, in fact human breast milk is rich in DHA, obviously because of the importance nature places on DHA. There is less omega 3 and consequently DHA in the average diet now due to cattle no longer feeding off grass. They are now being fed grain particularly before slaughtering as this increases their weight. Likewise there is less in eggs due to the modern methods of intensive farming. Our shortage of DHA increases as the days go by. Fish oil is the mast abundant source of DHA but we need to be careful that it is free from contamination, particularly mercury. Omega 3 has a proven record in weight loss.
See Omega 3 supplements
Before the body can use ALA it has to be converted to EPA and DHA. Research shows that only about 5% of ALA gets converted into EPA and only about 3% to DHA if it happens at all. Another difficulty with flaxseed oil is that it rapidly goes rancid and must be kept under constant refrigeration. Be very careful of this. The majority of research done on Omega 3 has been carried out using fish oils. A very interesting thing about omega 3 is that our bodies can't produce these essential fatty acids, the only way we can get them is we to consume them. What is more, NONE OF THE MARINE SOURCES LIKE FISH CAN PRODUCE OMEGA 3'S EITHER. The fish acquire them from eating lower marine forms, so once again the omega forms have to be acquired from food sources and not created. The original source is plankton or some other vegetable derived form. All the lower life forms including fish do is concentrate them for us. This is why grass fed beef which used to help provide us with Omega 3's are not now doing so now due to to our modern feeding methods.
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