What are Essential Fatty Acids and What is Their Relationship to Krill Oil?

Essential fatty acids are considered the “good fats” that every human body needs in order to function properly. These essential fatty acids compete with the bad fats or saturated fats. Most Americans have a diet that is lacking in the good fats and is loaded with the bad. When a diet is rich in good fats, your good cholesterol or HDL increases and controls the bad cholesterol which is referred to as LDL.

Essential Fatty Acids must be Obtained from Your Diet

These fats are not produced by the human body; rather they need to be obtained from one’s diet. There are 2 groups of essential fatty acids: Omega-6 and Omega-3. The body is able to produce a small amount of Omega-9 when the other 2 are present so it is not considered an essential. Omega-6 can be obtained from Linoleic Acid; Omega-3 fatty acids are obtained from Linolenic Acid and the Omega -9 fatty acids are derived from Oleic Acid.

What Do Essential Fatty Acids Do?

Essential fatty acids are the support system of your nervous, immune, reproductive and cardiovascular systems. The body requires EFAs in order to produce and fix the cell membranes. This gives cells the ability to obtain the best nutrition possible and aids in the expelling of waste products that may be harmful to your health. EFAs are vital in body function regulations such as conception, fertility, blood clotting, blood pressure and the heart rate. They also a vital to the immune system, encourage your body to fight infection and regulate inflammation.

Children need EFAs as well and most especially boys. It is a vital component of sensory system maturity and development of their brains. Infants while gestating need their mothers to have an ample supply of essential fatty acids in order for the fetus to develop and grow properly.

Why Omega-3 is So Important

Most Americans are deficient in EFAs and in particular Omega-3. when the body is deficient in Omega-6 and 3 or there is an imbalance, many serious medical conditions can occur such as arthritis, diabetes, stroke, depression, lupus, resistance to insulin, certain cancers and an increased risk of heart attack to name just a few.

If you are not getting enough Omega-3 in your diet then it is recommended that a supplement is taken on a daily basis. When a body is deficient in Omega-3 mental abilities decrease, you may experience a tingling in your nerves and have a diminished immune system.

Where Can Omega-3 Be Found?

Many of the darker green, leafy vegetables such as mustard greens, spinach, collards and kale contain adequate amounts of Omega-3 as well as flaxseeds, hempseeds, avocados, sesame seeds, walnuts and Brazil nuts to name just a few. They are also found in many types of fish. The problem with deriving your Omega-3 from fish is that we have been recommended to avoid many of the fish that have the highest concentrations of Omega-3 because of fear of Mercury poisoning.

What You Can Do

Taking a daily supplement of Omega-3 is the best way to ensure your continued good health and well being. Krill oil is being touted as one of the best and safest forms of obtaining the correct amount of Omega-3 in one’s diet. It is made from oil extracted from the tiny crustacean krill that lives deep beneath the sea. Krill oil is fast becoming the optimum source for not just Omega-3 but it is high in antioxidants as well.

Taking a daily dose of krill oil is said to give protection against the risk of many serious medical conditions. It typically comes in the form of a capsule and will not leave a fishy taste or odor like some other Omega-3 supplements can. If you are concerned with your daily intake of Omega-3 do some research on krill oil and find out if it is something you need to add to your daily diet. Krill oil should not be taken by those with allergies to fish and in particular shellfish.