Essential Fatty Acids: The Good Fats for Optimal Health

So what are essential fatty acids? These are the "good fats" that cannot be produced by the body so they must be supplied by the diet. Essential fatty acids are necessary for hundreds of bodily processes. They support the cardiovascular, reproductive, immune and nervous systems. They also help burn more body fat. That's right - these fats can actually help you burn more fat! Ironic, isn't it?  There are two types of essential fatty acids, Omega 3 and Omega 6.  There is third "semi" essential fatty acid, Omega 9.  It's considered semi essential because the body can produce its own provided there is enough Omega 3 and Omega 6 present in the body.

You can get essential fatty acids from a variety of food sources but the sources that contain the most come from oils. Read my recommendations on the best essential fatty acid supplements to find out which oils have the most Omega 3 and Omega 6.

Udo Erasmus, Ph.D., the world expert on oils in nutrition, introduced the importance of these essential fatty acids starting in the mid-1980's. Much of the information we know about the benefits of essential fatty acids are because of him. His groundbreaking book, Fats that Heal Fats that Kill, is the industry's bible on fats. Udo highlights the following health functions of getting the proper amounts of essential fatty acids:

Improves Energy Production & Mental Stamina
Athletes can exercise longer before reaching exhaustion, recover more quickly from fatigue, can exercise more often without over-training, heal quicker from injuries, build muscle faster and have less joint pain. Energy improvement is also seen in non-athletes and older people.

Weight Management
Essential fatty acids help reduce fat production in the body. They also increase fat burning and heat production in the body, and shift the body from burning glucose to burning fats. Saturated, monounsaturated, and trans- fatty acids do not help to manage weight. Sugar triggers increased fat production in the body. Starch can also lead to overweight.

Improves Brain Function
Benefits include elevated mood, lifted depression, increased calmness, better handling of stress, less hyperactivity, better focus, better mental processing, faster learning, increased intelligence, better concentration, and improved motor coordination. Among the mentally ill, EFAs can decrease hallucinations in schizophrenics, elevate mood, lift depression, improve symptoms in bipolar and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and improve brain function in Alzheimer's disease and autism.

Skin, Hair, and Nails
Essential fatty acids are required for healthy skin and hair, and are required for normal nail growth. They moisturize skin and prevent dryness.

Cardiovascular Disease
Essential fatty acids can decrease most cardiovascular disease risk factors including high triglycerides (blood fats, trigliceridos), blood pressure, platelet stickiness, fibrinogen, and lipoprotein(a). They also keep the inside of our arteries smooth and keep the heart beat regular.

Improves Response to Stress
People report feeling calmer, getting stressed less easily, dealing with stressful situations more calmly, and losing their temper less often.

Improves Hormone Functions
Hormone levels may decrease, yet the effects of hormones remain normal. Essential fatty acids thereby ease the work load of glands.

Autoimmune Conditions
Essential fatty acids dampen the over-response of the immune system in autoimmune conditions.

Reproduction
Essential fatty acids are required for sperm formation, the female cycle, and pregnancy.

Organs
Essential fatty acids are required for liver and kidney function.

Diabetes
Essential fatty acids are required for insulin function.

Improves Bone Mineral Retention
Inhibits the development of osteoporosis.

Improves Sleep in Some People

Reduces Symptoms of Allergies

Speeds the Healing of Injuries

Reduces Inflammation

Lowers Cancer Risk

Improves Digestion

Omega 3 Fatty Acid - Why we need more in our diet, health benefits of, and natural food sources
Omega 6 Fatty Acid - Why we need less in our diet, health benefits of, and natural food sources
Omega 9 Fatty Acid - The health benefits of and natural food sources
Essential Fatty Acid Supplements - A review of the two best essential fatty acid supplements you should be taking