Trans fats: good and evil Cis and trans fatty acids 'Cis' fatty acids are either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated and have a kink in their shape because the hydrogen atoms at each double bond are situated on one side of the bond. This shape renders them liquid at room temperature. 'Trans' fatty acids are straighter in […]
About omega-6 fatty acids Omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated. They are made and stored in the seeds and nuts of hot-climate plants (e.g. sunflower and sesame). The main forms of omega-6 in our diet are linoleic acid (LA), gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and arachidonic acid (AA). LA and conversion LA is found in seeds, nuts, beans […]
About omega-3 fatty acids Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated. They are found in cold-climate seed and nut oils, the brains of grass-fed ruminants, the oils of carnivorous fish and cold-water plankton. Little fish eat plankton; big fish eat little fish … and omega-3 travels up the food chain. The main forms of omega-3 are alpha-linolenic […]
According to Loren Cordain, author of The Paleo Diet (revised edition), our ancestors evolved eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, wild meats, fish, seafood, eggs, nuts and seeds. It provided a fatty acid profile of predominantly monounsaturated fats (omega-9), along with smaller quantities of saturated fat and the so-called 'essential fatty acids' (EFAs): polyunsaturated […]
About saturated fats Saturated fatty acids (SFAs) are found in animal foods and tropical plant foods. They add structure to our cell membranes and help us absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Some saturated fats are necessary but quantity, quality and kind are important. Bad or good? The case against saturated fat began […]
