How Can Fat Be Essential?
By Garry Gamber
Did you know that some fats are essential to the body? Yes, there are some fats that our body cannot produce which means that we must get them from our food. Perhaps you've heard of omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. These are both considered essential and must be supplied by the foods we eat.
What do they do? Well, the omega-3 fatty acid, for example is used for the production of healthy cell membranes and for the production of a class of hormones called prostaglandins. You know how aspirin and acetominophen are anti-inflammatories? So are the prostaglandins that our bodies produce from omega-3 fatty acids.
Now, we need the omega-3's and the omega-6's to be in the proper combination to be most effective to us. Empirical evidence shows that the proper ratio is about 4:1 between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. What do you suppose our average diet gives us? About a 20:1 and up to a 40:1 ratio; not even close to the optimal ratio.
Why is the balance so out of whack? Well, our normal diets are rich in omega-6 fatty acids. We get them from meats, dairy products, and processed foods. We eat a lot of those foods on average. We get omega-3 fatty acids from certain vegetable oils such as flaxseed, canola, and soybean. And we get omega-3 fatty acids from cold-water fish such as mackerel, sardines, salmon, and tuna.
Eat more fish! You've heard that said before, and now you know why.
Especially the salmon. It is especially rich in the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon , or any of the other omega-3 rich fish (but what tastes better than good salmon?) should be consumed at least once a week.
In order to get the omega-6 vs. omega-3 ratio in order, decrease your consumption of the saturated fat from meats and dairy products and increase your consumption of fish such as salmon.
Do you know how else you will benefit from increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids? Your cholesterol level will improve. You see, the essential omega-3 fatty acids have the ability to help decrease your total cholesterol and your LDL cholesterol level. The LDL cholesterol is the so-called bad cholesterol. So you will improve your cholesterol levels by adding a better balance of omega-3 fatty acids to your diet.
Not surprisingly, the omega-3 fatty acids can be heart healthy. Several diseases show improvement when patients increase their intake of these essential fats. Check out Dr. Ray Strand's important book for citings of clinical studies of omega-3. The book is titled, "What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Nutritional Medicine May Be Killing You." It's a wonderful book and should be a standard reference volume in your nutrition library.
Eat well, take appropriate supplements, and stay healthy.
*****************************
Garry Gamber is a public school teacher and entrepreneur. He writes articles about real estate, health and nutrition, and internet dating services. He is the owner of www.anchorage-homes.com and www.anchorage-homes.com.
no-contract cleaning service Des Plaines ..Great news on the chocolate front! Chocolate is good for... Read More
Did you know the average American gains 5-7 pounds every... Read More
There are a number of common food mistakes that costs... Read More
Copyright ? 2004 priya shah Glutathione, the body's... Read More
Weight loss plans are almost always trying to get you... Read More
Being vegetarian is one of the greatest things in the... Read More
It would be fair to assume that almost everyone on... Read More
Before the thirties, people knew the importance of mineral. Their... Read More
How many magazines have you read where they tell you... Read More
I turned into my parents' driveway in Maryland and parked... Read More
While oxygen is the key to human survival, it is... Read More
If you want to build muscle, lose body fat or... Read More
Most red and white meats are very fatty and are... Read More
I am sure you have heard you have to build... Read More
When I hear the word fat I usually think of... Read More
Oats (botanical name Avena sativa)An oat is a grass that... Read More
Your Non-Conscious Mind is 98% of your full power. Over... Read More
To research the health risks Sweet 'N Low and other... Read More
Whatever diet you choose to live by, the food you... Read More
Quick Overview- I think the most important thing for people... Read More
The Food Pyramid, first introduced to the US in 1992,... Read More
Protein is one of the basic building blocks of the... Read More
We know we need to eat a minimum of 5... Read More
NutrientsFat, Sugar, Sodium and CarbohydrateThe sections on a food label... Read More
Calcium helps reduce constipationUsing calcium and magnesium in the right... Read More
bathroom cleaning service Lake Forest ..We come from a society where growing organic and just... Read More
It seems as if the health of America is failing.... Read More
Meal sizes and frequency are very important. Over the years... Read More
Do you know the risks to daily intakes of Starbucks... Read More
Calcium helps reduce constipationUsing calcium and magnesium in the right... Read More
When it comes to the topic of sports nutrition there... Read More
"The physician who knows only medicine, knows not even medicine."... Read More
Lactose is the primary carbohydrate in milk. Cow's milk contains... Read More
Americans are literally running out of time. Achieving a work-life... Read More
Diets don't work. If they did the U.S. of A.... Read More
It's 5:30 p.m. and you're heading home after a long,... Read More
Fruit calories are very healthy as compared to calories in... Read More
For a natural and tasty way to improve your health... Read More
Looking for an easy and natural way increase your vitality... Read More
The cry of "I have no willpower!" often emerges from... Read More
I know that the headline is a oldie, but it... Read More
While packages of the artificial sweetener Splenda claim, "made from... Read More
You may have heard that essential fats are an important... Read More
Acid Reflux Disease, or GERD, is a common disease which... Read More
America's major dietary deficiency - EFA a panacea for good... Read More
Established in 1989 by Stephen DeFelice, "Foundation for Innovation in... Read More
Spring is in the air and ? summer is around... Read More
Cholesterol is an essential building block of every cell in... Read More
One of the biggest mistakes many new bodybuilders make is... Read More
Healthy eating is important for everyone, from babies to the... Read More
Nutrition |