Efforts to trim waistlines or become more heart healthy have led many people to cut down on the amount of fat in their diets. While fat is typically associated with obesity, heart disease and other ailments, not all fats deserve a bad rap.According to registered dietitian, Andrea Holwegner, fat is an essential part of our diets. “Many people don’t realize that some fats are actually good for us and should be consumed regularly,” says Andrea.

“Take omega-3 fatty acids for example. Omega-3s are an unsaturated variety of ‘essential fats’ that need to be consumed from food since your body is unable to produce them.”

Omega-3s are naturally found in both seafood and plant foods. However research suggests that the most reliable form of omega-3s come from fish and fish oils.

“This is because fish such as salmon, tuna, herring and mackerel contain the EPA and DHA forms of omega-3s, which is readily usable by the body,” says Andrea. “Whereas the type of omega-3s found in plant sources such as flax seeds, walnuts and canola oil, known as ALA, need to be converted into the EPA and DHA forms before your body can benefit from them.”

While the body can convert the plant type into EPA and DHA, research suggests it is not a very efficient process (5-15% conversion). “In other words, you have to consume quite a bit of the plant type of omega-3s to make very small amounts of EPA and DHA,” explains Andrea.

The recommended daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids based on a 2000 calorie diet is 1.3-2.7g per day. For more information, consult with your doctor or registered dietitian.

Credit: www.newscanada.com

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