Fatty acids
This is a big subject, but we can simplify it by recognising the following:
Fatty acids are released when dietary fats are digested. The major fatty acids in our diet are composed of recurring segments of two carbon units making up long chains of fatty acids of 16, 18, 20, etc, carbon atoms, divisible by 2
Fatty acids containing no double bonds are called saturated fatty acids and those with double bonds are called unsaturated fatty acids. Those with more than one double-bond are called polyunsaturated.
Trans Fatty Acids – This is a little more complicated, but put simply. if two parts of the fatty acid are on opposite sides of the double-bond, then the fatty acid is in the ‘trans’ form. Transfat is the common name for a type of unsaturated fat with trans isomer fatty acid(s). Transfats may be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. These are the fatty acids we need to avoid in our diets as they are damaged and cause many health problems. You will find them in supermarket vegetable oils, most processed foods, fast foods, junk foods, breakfast bars, some breakfast cereals, chocolate bars and more.
Essential Fatty Acids are the ones our bodies do not produce so we have to get them from our diets. Known commonly as omega-3 and omega-6, their scientific names are alpha-linoleic acid and linoleic acid respectively. Omega-3 acids are derived from marine sources and omega-6 acids are derived from land-based sources of plants and animals. The best source of dietary omega-3 is in fresh organic fish and good pharmaceutical grade fish oil with good quantities of EPA/DHA. This is one supplement everyone could benefit from and a daily dose of 2-4g will help avoid heart disease and much more.
Watch out for more on this essential food on Cabbages and Cream.
See more from Dr Robert Buist on Nutritional Courses.
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