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Members of polyunsaturated family of fatty acids, essential fatty acids (EFAs) are similar to vitamins, in that they are essential to your health, but cannot be manufactured by your body. Therefore, EFAs must be obtained from food in sufficient quantities to ensure that you and your family are deriving all the health benefits these good-for-you fats have to offer.
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of essential fatty acid. In the human body, Omega-3 have three main uses:
- They are used as a source of energy
- They function as an important structural element found in the membrane of every cell of the body
- They act as chemical regulators that turn on and off important processes such as inflammation, smooth muscle relaxation, and blood clotting
For these reasons, Omega-3 fatty acids are critical to every cell, tissue, organ, and system in your body.
The 3 Omega-3s: EPA, DHA and ALAAmong the Omega-3, three have been scientifically proven to be important to general wellness at all stages of life. They are: EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid), DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid), and ALA (Alpha-Linolenic acid). EPA and DHA play critical roles in sustaining the health of your heart, your brain, and your whole body. Because they are already in a body-ready form, EPA and DHA (found in fish oil) are good for your health.It is theoretically possible for your body to make EPA and DHA from the ALA that you consume; however, the conversion process is inefficient, which means that even if you ingest large amounts of ALA, you will only produce small quantities of EPA and DHA. With a conversion rate of less than 1%, it’s highly unlikely that you would be able to consume enough ALA to get the EPA and DHA that your body needs for optimal health and wellness. Therefore, EPA and DHA are considered functionally essential, because they are important for your health, yet you cannot effectively make them on your own.
Natural Sources of Omega-3Omega-3s are naturally occurring as ALA in certain plant foods — such as flaxseed and chia— and as EPA and DHA in certain cold-water fatty fish — including mackerel, sardines, and salmon. Because your body has difficulty converting ALA to the usable forms of EPA and DHA, you need to consume at least two servings of fatty fish per week, or take an Omega-3 fish oil supplement, to ensure that you get adequate amounts of these essential nutrients in your diet.
MEG-3® as Your Source of Omega-3If you’re not sure that you’re consuming enough of these two essential nutrients, MEG-3® can help balance your diet in a convenient and worry-free way. Available as a dietary supplement, and as a healthy food ingredient, MEG-3® provides you with Omega-3 EPA/DHA that conform to worldwide quality and purity standards. Along with a well-balanced diet, supplements or foods that contain MEG-3® ensure that you and your family are getting adequate amounts of these two essential nutrients.
References
1. Harris WS. “Fish oil supplementation: evidence for health benefits.” Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine 71, no., 3 (March 2004): 208-10, 212, 215-8 passim.
2. Simopoulos AP. “Essential fatty acids in health and chronic diseases.” Forum of Nutrition 56 (2003): 67-70.
3. Hussein, et al. Long-chain conversion of [13C] linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid in response to marked changes in their dietary intake in men. J Lipid Res. 2005 Feb;46(2):269-80.
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What Is Omega-3
Health Benefits
Life Stage Benefits
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Daily Requirements
More than 8,000 studies published over the past 35 years have consistently shown that Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) are important to your health throughout every stage of your life. However, most people don’t consume enough Omega-3 EPA/DHA in their daily diet to satisfy their bodies’ needs ...
Omega-3 Myths
Omega-3 Myths Omega-3 fatty acids have been receiving a great deal of coverage in all forms of media in recent years…so much so that it’s sometimes difficult to tell fact from fiction. You don’t need to become an Omega-3 expert, but it is a good idea to be informed. Information is power and you owe it to yourself to learn the truth about Omega-3 so ...
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