Fatty Acids

There are certain nutritional components that your body needs in order to run like an efficient biological machine. Some of those components are fatty acids. A fatty acid plays a major part in the development of cells and tissue. When it comes to fatty acids, there are quite a few kinds – some are good for you and some are bad for you.

Essential fatty acids are a necessity for your diet. Your body cannot produce them on its own, so you have to eat the right kind of foods or even take a supplement. There are two main essential fatty acids – omega 3 fatty acids and omega 6 fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acid is the one that most people focus on because omega 6 can be found in a variety of foods like poultry, dairy, whole grains and more.

Foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids are primarily found in fish like salmon, tuna, herring and cod. Another omega 3 fatty acid source is nuts. You can also find the omega 3 fatty acids in various types of oils such as canola, walnut, soybean and flaxseed.

There is also something called Trans fatty acids too. These are the bad kind of fatty acids that you should limit in your diet. You can find these Trans fatty acids in fast food especially. Trans fatty acids cause your cholesterol to rise overall and lower the HDL or good cholesterol in the blood. This can put you at risk for coronary heart disease, stroke and other health problems.

Stick with the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids such as the reduction of hypertension, immunity boost to combat cancer risks, lower risk of skin conditions, increase scalp health and promote better hair conditions. If you cannot get enough fish with omega 3 fatty acids in your diet, you can take an omega 3 fatty acid supplement. While it won’t be as beneficial as through food, it will still give you the health boost you need.

If you read about the different types of fatty acids, you may find mention of something called a tall oil fatty acid. This is actually a byproduct of a wood pulp process and is used in various industrial cleaners and other things. This tall oil fatty acid has nothing to do with the beneficial essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6 which promotes healthy skin, hair and more.