Essential fatty acids

Essential fatty acids are as important to out health as oxygen and water. It is a substantial part of human nutritive makeup of fats, vitamins and minerals.

The basic building blocks of any fats are the fatty acids. Fatty acids are either essential or non essential. Fatty acids is considered essential of:

*The body is unable to synthesize it
*The only way it can be obtained it though the diet

There are two main essential fatty acids. These are alpha-linolenic acid and linolenic acid and arachidonic acid.

Linoleic acid is the primary member of the omega-6 family. When the body receives linoleic acid from the diet, it can make other members of the moega-6 family. – such as the 20-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acid, arachidonic acid.

Arachidonic acid is one of the essential polyunsaturated acid. Once the body bleed from a cut, arachidonic acid is is metabolized to a substance known as thromboxane A2, that initiates a series of events to form a clot and prevent from bleeding to death.

Some of the other important polyunsaturated and essential fatty acids are known by the common abbreviations, EPA - eicosapentaenoic and DHA – docosahexaenoic acid. These two may be better known and recognized as omega-3 fatty acids.

Linolenic acid is the primary member of the omega-3 family, Like linoleic acid, linolenic acid cannot be made in the body and must be supplied by foods.

Essential fatty acids are converted in the body into hormones called prostaglandins. Which are responsible for a healthy brain, correct vision, healthy skin and a healthy vascular system.

They also assist the body in its stability to reduce inflammation, regulate stress and most importantly, participate in cellular renewal.
Essential fatty acids