subject: You Take Vegetarian Ala Omega 3 Supplements. Are You Getting Your Omega 3s? [print this page] There are some very important discoveries relating to our health that have been made over the last few decades. Arguably the most important is that most of us are deficient in the Omega 3 fats. These are ALA, DHA and EPA. ALA (alpha linolenic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) are all beneficial fats known as Omega 3 essential fatty acids.
It is considered generally that DHA, which makes up a large percentage of our brain, is the most important these however EPA, also an Omega 3 fat, is also essential to optimum health.
But sadly over the last century there have been significant changes to our diets and we are now eating much less DHA and EPA as these are mainly found in seafood and particularly in oily fish. As we are eating less seafood and therefore taking less omega 3 fats his increases our risk of a wide range of health conditions, and increasing our intake of these essential fatty acids can help protect us against contracting some of these conditions.
But what is ALA Omega 3 fat? DHA and EPA are found in marine sources and in particular oily fish. ALA is an omega 3 fatty acid that is found only in plant based sources. It is not present in fish, and anyone taking fish oil supplements is not getting any ALA in their supplements.
However there are many people taking various vegetarian supplements, primarily amongst them flax seed oil supplements. As flax seed oil supplements contain the plant-based form of Omega 3 fat, namely ALA, are these people therefore getting sufficient quantities of the important essential fatty acids?
The answer is no because DHA and EPA are much more important to your health than ALA. The benefit of ALA is that the body can convert it into DHA and EPA but it is converted at a very poor rate, and the less healthy amongst us convert it less successfully.
So if it isn't sufficient to take vegetarian Omega 3 supplements why do people take them? Because as vegetarians they cannot take traditional Omega 3 supplements sourced from seafood. And many people taking vegetarian Omega 3 supplements are unaware that they are not providing sufficient levels of the important Omega 3 fats.
Unfortunately almost all of us have low levels of DHA and EPA, the 2 most important of the Omega 3 fats, and taking vegetarian Omega 3 supplements does not address this.
