Picture of different sources of omega-3 fatty acids

The effect of omega-3 fatty acids on your health

Contents

  1. What are omega-3 fatty acids?
  2. Plant-based omega-3 fatty acids
  3. Marin omega-3 fatty acids
  4. The difference between marine and vegetable omega-3 fatty acids
  5. References

What are omega-3 fatty acids? [ edit ]

Omega-3 fatty acids are part of the polyunsaturated fatty acids. Unlike saturated fatty acids, the body cannot produce them by itself. They must therefore be provided by the diet. Since omega-3 fatty acids are vital for our body, they are called essential fatty acids. There are several types of omega-3 fatty acids. They differ mainly in their chemical structure and natural origin.

The most important omega-3 fatty acids are:

Plant-based omega-3 fatty acids [ edit ]

Picture of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids sources

Main source for vegetable omega-3 fatty acid ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) are linseeds and nuts. Vegetable oil from linseed oil is particularly rich in ALA.

Marin omega-3 fatty acids [ edit ]

Picture of marin omega-3 fatty acids sources

The marine omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are mainly found in marine products such as cold water fatty fish, krill and algae.

The difference between marine and vegetable omega-3 fatty acids [ edit ]

Not all omega-3s are the same!

Numerous studies confirm the health benefits of the marine omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Even if linseed oil is assumed positive for our health, substantial scientific evidence for the vegetable omega-3 fatty acid ALA is pending.
The body can convert ALA fatty acid to EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids, but the conversion rate varies greatly from person to person and depends on a variety of factors (such as age, gender, weight and metabolism). The average conversion rate is only 5-10%.
Vegetable omega-3 fatty acids from linseed oil and other plant-based sources are a good complement to marine omega-3 fatty acids from fish and algea, but unfortunately they do not replace them!

References [ edit ]

  1. Norsan - The effect of omega-3 fatty acids on your health