Suppressing Bad Fats With Good Fats

• Found in fish or fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation caused by trans fats.
• Omega-9 increases the body’s useful fat store levels while reducing the amount of bad fats, thus restricting the amount of damage that can be caused by trans fats.
• Regular, daily consumption of omega-3 and omega-9 fatty acids reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and high blood fat levels.

Trans fat is a form of fat that should be avoided. However, in our daily lives, it can sometimes be hard to avoid foods containing these fats completely, as we may not be aware which foods contain trans fat. Nevertheless, we can protect ourselves against the negative effect of trans fat through regular consumption of beneficial omega-3 and omega-9 fats.

Omega-3 can be categorized into the three following forms: EPA acid, DHA acid and alpha-linolenic acid.

• EPA acid, or eicosapentaenoic acid, helps reduce inflammation, cholesterol and triglyceride fat levels, while DHA acid, or docosahexaenoic acid, helps with brain and retinal nerve rehabilitation. DHA can be found in most fish, including salmon, tuna and various other types.
• Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is contained in seeds and grains, such as flax seeds and chia seeds. Once the body receives these forms of food, it will transform ALA into EPA and DHA acids.

How can omega-3 be beneficial to health?

• Omega-3 can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Many studies have found that omega-3 has a beneficial effect on coronary heart health and that regular consumption of fish or seafood which contains the acid can help strengthen the heart and prevent cardiovascular conditions.
• Omega-3 can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and increase brain functioning capabilities. The DHA acid found in omega-3 can reduces the chance of age-related macular degeneration.
• Omega-3 contains antioxidants that can regenerate and slow down the aging process of numerous cells found throughout the body.
• Omega-3 reduces internal inflammation and helps decrease health disorders in both men and women of reproductive age, as well as in elderly women.

Omega-9 is an unsaturated fatty acid that contains the following 2 major fatty acids

• Oleic acid, which can be found in olive oil and various other monounsaturated fats.
• Erucic acid, a form of fatty acid, that is found in rapeseed oil, wallflower oil and mustard seeds. Erucic acid levels are especially high in rapeseed oil, which is the reason why canola oil is being used more often for deep frying or lightly-fried various types of food, with the oil now being as popular a rice bran oil. This type of fatty acid can be found in many types of food, from meat to grains. Particularly high in omega-9 are olive oil, canola oil, peanuts, sunflower oil, sesame seeds, pistachio nuts, almonds and avocados.

How can omega-9 be beneficial to health?

• Omega-9 reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels while increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, the form of cholesterol that is beneficial to the body. Omega-9 also reduces triglyceride levels, which can have a positive effect on the body’s blood flow, ensuring the body functions normally while preventing cardiovascular diseases and various coronary artery conditions.