The Health Benefits of Omega 9 Fatty Acid

Omega 9 fatty acid is a monounsaturated fat that is also known as, oleic acid. Omega 9 is not technically an essential fatty acid because the body can produce a limited amount, provided the essential fatty acids, omega 3 and omega 6, are present. If your diet is low in these essential fatty acids, then your body can't produce enough omega 9. In that instance, omega 9 becomes an essential fatty acid because your body will need to get it from your diet.

Health benefits of omega 9:

• Lowers cholesterol levels, thereby reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
• Reduces atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
• Reduces insulin resistance, thereby improves glucose (blood sugar) maintenance
• Improves immune function
• Provides protection against certain types of cancer

• Olive oil - the best source of omega 9
• Olives
• Avocados
• Almonds
• Peanuts
• Sesame oil
• Pecans
• Pistachio nuts
• Cashews
• Hazelnuts
• Macadamia nuts

For optimum weight loss, reduce your overall fat/oil consumption to a sensible level. Udo Erasmus, Ph.D., the world expert on oils in nutrition, advocates 15-20% of your total calories should come from fat - and the majority of that should be essential fatty acids. To determine how many grams of fat this translates into, you multiply your total daily calories by 15% (20% for the high-end of the range) and then divide the result by 9, which is the number of calories in a gram of fat. Here is an example:

2,500 daily calories x .15 = 375
375 / 9 = 41.6 or 42 grams of fat per day - the bulk of which should be essential fatty acids

Essential Fatty Acids - An overview of what they are and a list of their many health benefits
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
Essential Fatty Acid Supplements - A review of the two best essential fatty acid supplements you should be taking