Elements Make Up Fatty Acids

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) play a part in many metabolic processes, and there is evidence to suggest that low levels of essential fatty acids, or the wrong balance of types among the essential fatty acids, may be a factor in a number of illnesses.

Here are the Elements that Make Up Essential Fatty Acids:

• Essential fatty acids cannot be synthesized by the body from other fatty acids and must be obtained from food.

• They were given the label "essential" when researchers found that removal of fatty acids from the diet harmed the normal growth of young children and animals.

• The essential fatty acids are:
- Linolenic acid: better known as Omega-3
- Linoleic acid: better konown as Omega-6

• They form the starting point for the creation of longer and more desaturated fatty acids, which are also referred to as long-chain polyunsaturates:

• Omega-9 fatty acids are not essential, because we possess all the enzymes required for their synthesis.

• Some of the food sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are fish and shellfish, flaxseed (linseed), soya oil, canola (rapeseed) oil, hemp oil, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, leafy vegetables, and walnuts.

For addditional information about Elements that Make Up Fatty Acids, please review the next section.

Additional information related to Elements that Make Up Fatty Acids

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