w8lifter

The good fats.(body needs essential fatty acids, EFA)(includes information on EFA sources and EFA supplements)
Author/s: Andrea Mather
Issue: July, 1998

Your body's billions of cells need essential fatty acids.

Q What are essential fatty acids and what foods are they in?

-- J. Schell, New Orleans, La.

First, it's important to know that saturated fat's bad rap as an artery-clogging precursor to heart disease and stroke does not apply to essential fatty acids (EFAs). This collection of "good" polyunsaturated fats are actually vital to body function. "Without EFAs, our bodies run out of the building blocks our cells require to maintain peak function," says Michael Schmidt, a research scientist at the Functional Medicine Research Center in Gig Harbor, Wash., and author of Smart Fats: How Dietary fats and Oils Affect mental, Physical and Emotional Intelligence (Frog Ltd., 1997).

EFAs include both omega-6 (linoleic) and omega-3 (alpha-linoleic) fatty acids. Together they're used to create prostaglandins, the hormone-like chemical messengers responsible for regulating blood pressure, oxygen transport and pain and inflammation. But EFAs primary function is to maintain the liquid barrier surrounding each cell, known as the cell membrane, and to transport waste and nutrients (amino acids, hormones, minerals, vitamins and water) in and out of cells. "The lining of every cell in the body is made of fat," explains Ray Sahelein, M.D., author of HTP: Nature's Serotonin Solution (Avery Publishing, 1998). "In order for cell to communicate with each other, the membrane needs to be fluid. Hence, our need for polyunsaturated fats, such as the EFAs which are fluid, as opposed to saturated fats, the hard fats, which are not fluid."

Given their role in cell activity, EFAs have a profound influence on brain function as well as the cadiovascular, inflammatory and immune systems. Without EFAs, our risk of heart disease, cancer and stroke increases, according to Michael T. Murray, N.D., and Jade Beutler, R.R.T., R.C.P., authors of Understanding Fats and Oils: Your Guide to Healing with Essential fatty Acids (Progressive health Publishing, 1996). A host of additional ailments--skin problems, depression, learning disabilities and even diabetes--also can be traced to low levels of EFAs, says Schmidt.

The body naturally makes dozens of fatty acids, but it can't manufacture the EFAs. These must come from food sources. Unfortunately, about 80 percent of Americans aren't meeting their EFA requirements, according to Murray and Beutler. The reason? The standard Western diet, which is loaded with processed foods and delivers many more omega-6s than omega-3s. A balance between the two (generally, a 1:1 ratio) is absolutely critical for efficient prostaglandin production.

To get a proper mix of omega-6s and omega-3s, start by trading processed foods for whole foods. Good vegetarian sources that deliver the right amounts of both fatty acids include legumes, nuts, seeds, dark leafy greens and flaxseed oil, considered a mother lode of EFAs (see 7 Ways to Eat Your EFAs, p. 108). Simply add one to three teaspoons of flaxseed oil a day to your meals. For instance, Susan M. Lark, M.D., author of Women's Health Companion: Self-Help Nutrition Guide and Cookbook (Celestial Arts, 1995), uses flaxseed oil in place of butter on mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables and bread.


RELATED ARTICLE: 7 Ways to Eat Your EFAs

Getting more of these vital nutrients into your diet isn't difficult; just follow these tips:

1 Mix up a salad dressing with flaxseed oil.

2 Snack on walnuts, almonds, cashews, brazil and pistachio nuts, as well as sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

3 Help yourself to an extra serving of dark green leafy vegetables.

4 Swap your regular cereal for a flaxseed cereal instead.

5 Grind up flaxseeds and sprinkle then on your salad and baked potatoes.

6 Buy flaxmeal and stir into smoothies and other beverages.

7 Replace the oil in your favorite dip with flaxseed oil.

RELATED ARTICLE: Buying and Using EFA Supplements

You'll find EFAs in natural food stores. Here are a few hints for smart buying.

Head for the refrigerated section. Oil supplements, like flaxseed, need to be kept cold to keep them from going rancid. Store your bottle in the refrigerator when you get home and never heat.

Look for cold-pressed oils. This process avoids high temperatures and eliminates exposure to light and oxygen to preserve the oils integrity. Choose one in a dark plastic bottle, which also prevent light damage.

Check the use-by date. Avoid bottles nearing their expiration dates. At home, note the supplement's use-by date on your calendar.

The Good Fats

w8lifter

Essential fatty acids.
Author/s: Michael T. Murray
Issue: May, 1999

Good fats for good health.

While it is recommended that we should consume no more than 30 percent of our daily calories as fats, a lack of the dietary essential fatty acids (EFAs) has been suggested to play a significant role in the development of many chronic degenerative diseases, such as heart disease, arthritis, cancer, and stroke.

Good vs. bad fats

The human body absolutely requires the polyunsaturated EFAs -- linoleic acid (omega-6 fats) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3 fats). That is exactly why these fatty acids are termed "essential." The omega-3s are found in flaxseed, hemp, and pumpkin seed oils, in addition to marine sources (cold-water fish and ocean-dwelling microalgae), which are high in EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Omega-6 fats are mostly found in seed oils and nuts.

Other fats include monounsaturated fats, such as omega-7 (palmitoleic acid, found in tropical oils) and omega-9 (oleic acid, found in olive oil, etc.). The saturated fat group is notable for: stearic acid (shea nut butter, chocolate/cocoa), palmitic acid (tropical fats), butyric acid (butter), and arachidic acid (peanuts).

What makes our fat imbalance "bad" is the following:

x a super-over-consumption of omega-6 fats vs. omega-3s;

x high consumption of trans-fats via partially hydrogenated low-grade polyunsaturated fats (e.g., margarine and deep-fry oils);

x an over-consumption of saturated fat;

x the fact that the "bad" fats interfere with the important metabolic roles played by the EFAs (good fats).

The importance of healthy cell membranes

All cells throughout the human body are enveloped by a membrane composed chiefly of fatty acids. What determines the type of fatty acid in the cell membrane is the type of fat consumed. A cell membrane composed chiefly of saturated fats or trans-fatty acids (mostly from partially hydrogenated tropical oils or margarine), differs considerably in structure from a cell membrane composed of EFAs. A diet composed of largely saturated fat, animal fatty acids (e.g., arachidonic acid), cholesterol, and trans-fatty acids is going to lead to membranes which are much less fluid in nature than the membranes of a person consuming optimum levels of beneficial omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs.

A relative deficiency of EFAs in cellular membranes makes it virtually impossible for the cell membrane to perform its vital functions. Without a healthy membrane, cells lose their ability to hold water, vital nutrients, and electrolytes. They also lose their ability to communicate with other cells and to be controlled by regulating hormones. They simply do not function properly.

EFAs' role in prostaglandin production

There's more to the story. The EFAs are also necessary for the production of hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins. These chemicals carry out many important tasks in the body: regulating pain, swelling, allergic response, wound healing, nerve function, hormone production, etc.



While prostaglandins are derived from both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, the industrialized diet is definitely higher in the omega-6 category, so you're more likely to shortchange yourself on omega-3s. Think flaxseed, hemp, pumpkin seed, and marine-source oils in your efforts to pump up your omega-3 intake and achieve a good fat/prostaglandin balance.

EFA's

The Rose

You're really crazed about fats, W8!

Roses are a woman's best friend!

KataMaStEr

Kool W8. All I knew about fats was the saturated fats are bad and the other was good . Good post.

Rob_NC

Doesn't it just piss you off that no one is pushing this type of diet, high protein, low carb, high fat (good fats)? Since Dr. Atkins just had a heart attack, the rest of the medical community is chastising him for his diet. True, it may have too much saturated fats, but why hasn't anyone been preaching what bodybuilders already know? Who else on this earth has leaner bodies?

Artificial Intelligence is no match for Natural Stupidity.

lina

You're right Rob, Atkins diet doesn't emphasize the good fats, in fact just the opposite. You are allowed to eat things like bacon, chicken skin, full fat cream cheese, etc.

w8lifter

Damn...I couldn't agree more!

ponyboy

Check out this link for some brief info on omega 9's.

http://www.nutritionfocus.com/nutrit...omega-9.html#2

lina

I know most of you take flax, but I currently have 1/2 bottle of Udo's. I'm almost ready to buy more. Should I get regular flax oil or stick with Udo's? Or doesn't matter? Which brand of flax do you use?

Udo's Choice Ultimate Oil Blend Ingredients: Flax oil*, sunflower oil*, sesame oil, medium chain triglycerides, evening primrose oil (12.6 mg GLA per tablespoon), rice germ and bran oil, soy lecithin, d-alpha tocopheral (natural vitamin E), oat germ and bran oil. (*from certified organically grown seeds).


http://www13.netrition.com/udos_choice_page.html

w8lifter

lina, as I understand it, Udo's blended oil is good if it's your main fat source because it has the optimal ratio of 3's to 6's. But if you use other fats such as nuts & peanut butter, the plain flax will balance out the ratio's.

lina

Got it! Thanks as always!