In this article you will learn a little about the structure of fats, what the best sources are, and how to work out what ones you might benefit from taking the most!

What are they?

Essential fats are named that because they are, essential!  Our bodies don’t manufacture them like we can for some vitamins, amino acids and other nutrients.  

They form a foundational part of many structures in our bodies. From the cell membrane in EVERY cell in the body, to the structure of our brain (at least 70% of it). Not only do they support the structure of the brain, but they also support crucial functioning at the synapses, the small gaps between cells in our brain where memory, mood and other functions are regulated.

Essential fats also form the basis for the formation of hormones in our body.  And we’re not even done yet!

Probably the most talked about role for essential fats in our bodies is in their effect on our inflammatory response.  Omega 3 fats in particular (but also omega 6) have a powerful effect on inflammatory cascades that are triggered by trauma, stress, poor diet – pretty much most aspects of life!  They seem to have a controlling  influence on pro-inflammatory prostaglandin. There are many studies that demonstrate this effect in animals and humans, with a particular emphasis on EPA, one of the components of Omega 3 fats.  Okay, so now we gotta explain what EPA is…well at least a bit!

Omega 3 -V- 6

EPA is a long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid that belongs to the omega 3 family (that also includes DHA. More on that later).  It’s not too important to know why they’re called omega 3, but know this:  The ratio our ancestors had in their blood of omega 3:omega 6 is hotly debated, but it strongly differs from our current dietary intake. Say roughly it was 1:4 (om3:om6) 50,000 years ago. Well consider that the western diet is currently estimated to be roughly 1:20, and that such a pre-dominance of omega 6 fats (along with the trans fats etc) is going to flick our metabolic switch towards a pro-inflammatory state. Then you can see where all the hoo-ha over omega 3 supplementation has come from.  

That’s one big piece of the puzzle, and another one to think on is the Okinawan diet and lifespan study. It’s an island in Japan where they eat more omega 3 than anywhere else in the world, and it’s also a place that has one of the highest concentrations of folk living over to 100, and not in nursing homes.  These guys are fishing, knitting, working, walking, and generally still getting a good kick out of life.  Now there’s lots of other potential factors in their longevity, but omega 3 fats pretty much definitely have a role to play.

Sources

Best sources of omega 3 (the unsaturated gang) are the oily fish (sardines, anchovies, mackarel, rainbow trout – these are the best), then salmon (great, but with issues around sustainability and purity) and tuna (almost a dirty word these days, loaded with toxins, over-fished, and not even the richest source of good fats!).  

Some veggies are also great sources, but there are issues over the conversion of ALA (the predominant form of omega 3 found in veg), into the useful EPA. Between 70 and 98% don't make the conversion, so some vegans need to be particularly aware and active to overcome this.  The lovely thing about these fats, as they’re found in nature, is that they come immutably mixed up with fat soluble anti-oxidants.  These are another day’s work, but basically they protect the fats in the food from going rancid, and protect LDL cholesterol from oxidising and causing the blockages involved in heart disease etc.

Plant-based sources:

• Flax seeds – omega 3
• Chia seeds – omega 3
• Seaweeds – not for everyone, but we will be piling the stuff in to us in the not so distant future…
• Avocadoes – omega 3 and 6 and vitamin E
• Walnuts – omega 3 and 6
• Greens – cauliflower, spinach and broccoli all have decent enough levels of omega 3 and, importantly, negligible amounts of omega 6
• Olive oil – omega 6 and 9 – good quality cold pressed extra virgin olive oil is possibly THE richest source of fat soluble antioxidants

Saturated Fat

This is where it starts to get awful murky, and where we need to place one HUGE caveat, which is that no matter how much we espouse certain diets – high fat, low carb, high omega 3, etc etc – there is no accounting for the influence of one big term – BIOCHEMICAL INDIVIDUALITY.  Basically our genetic makeup means that our metabolism of fats is totally unique and may make the best diet for us and our customers totally contradictory from what we read in the media.  And from what we’re about to recommend here….so back to saturated fats.

Saturated fats (these are medium and short chain fats, as opposed to the long chain poly- (and mono-) unsaturated fats found in fish and veggie stuff like nuts, seeds and algae) provide a big source of energy for our cells, (more later) regulate inflammation, provide the foundation for hormone synthesis, help to restore gut integrity…among many other fundamental functions that are essential to human life!!  The most common sources we have in our diets include butter and, these days, coconut oil!!

In short, unless you are one of the unlucky few to have inherited familial hypercholesterolemia (around 1 in 250 people worldwide who have an unfortunate spike in their LDL cholesterol production in response to fat consumption especially in the saturated form), then we recommend you treat saturated fats with respect (i.e. don’t over indulge in butter when you’re stuffing your face with carbs as that is known to promote inflammation, spike your blood glucose levels and stress hormone levels), but DO use them liberally, both raw and cooked, to support all the body processes we refer to above.

Who are they for?

As per the above…everyone!  But we all have very individual needs depending on our stage in life, our state of health, and what, if any, particular disorders we're coping with. Read on for a quick peek at tailoring your intake of essential fats!

Are you pregnant?  

If so, your specific needs are for a high DHA fish oil – DHA is the major structural fat that is delivered down the placenta from the mother’s stores to form the brain and spinal cord of the developing foetus.  We’ve heard of baby brain right?  Well that has a lot to do with brain shrinkage of up to 20% that can be caused by a lack of  DHA in the mother’s diet.  And while you’re pregnant your body really doesn’t care about you at all – so your baby will be getting the lion’s share of whatever fats you take on board.

Have you got high cholesterol?

This is the trickle down question that influences all others.  If you answer yes, the next question is – did your parents? If yes, the NEXT question is – (and this is the crucial one) is there a family history of heart attacks or heart disease? If you answer no to any of these questions, continue to make all the recommendations for fatty acids in the diet, but if you answer yes to all 3, then you could well be one of those unlucky folk with Familial Hypercholesterolemia (see above) and need to be very careful of the fatty acid intake in your diet, and you need to load in the fat soluble antioxidants (carotenoids, vitamin E, alpha lipoic acid) in order to protect your circulating cholesterol from oxidising and causing harmful blockages.

Are you an athlete or just starting on a training regime?

This is another case where our need for essential fats goes through the roof.  And in this case we need to think quick conversion too for recovery, and some big studies have reported that Krill oil, omega 3 derived from tiny shrimp-like creatures, as it is carried in a form more like fats that circulate in our blood (phospholipid form), may be more easily picked up and used by our bodies.  The future sustainability of this source is much in question however.

Have you got inflammatory disorders? 

If yes, then the vegan oils which aren’t as well metabolised won’t see as fast or effective results, so opt for high potency fish oil. Combine with turmeric, devil’s claw (A Vogel Atrosan), possibly Solgar 7 and Revive Joint Active for super fast results with joint issues.

Are you studying or putting your brain under particular stress?

If this workload is short-term, say with exams or presentations in mind, then again think quick absorption, high potency.  Combine with New Horizon Ultimate Magnesium, which also contains Rhodiola to modulate stress response which strongly influences memory, concentration and mood.

Do you eat a lot of processed foods?

This is a BIG driver of current and future inflammatory and other health issues.  If yes, then a supplement of fish or seed oil is very relevant, BUT any fat taken into a toxic body is liable to oxidise (go rancid) in that body due to a lack of protective fat soluble anti-oxidants, soooo dietary recommendations for vitamin A and E rich foods are crucial, and consider adding a powerful anti-oxidant blend (think Viridian Anti-Oxidant complex, Solgar’s alpha lipoic acid or plain old  vitamin E)

Are you vegan?

So there’s lots of options in this category – all the viridian oils (bar the trout, obvs!), Udo’s oil and the queen of this category: Nordic Naturals Vegan DHA, which contains EPA also – this means that you can bypass the debate over conversion from ALA in seeds etc – and just give them the good stuff!!

Are you concerned about sustainability of fish stocks?

We hope so!!  We are too, in a big way, and hence we’re really keen on Viridian’s Rainbow Trout Oil, which comes from a permaculture aquaponic farm in Sweden.  Don’t know that this means?  Well permaculture aims towards closed loop farming, with minimal inputs and minimal waste products.  The fish swim in gravity driven streams so they have to WORK, which improves their fatty acid profile. Their poop is cleaned in a reed bed system that is then used to nourish a vegetable garden.  Seed oils may be another (imperfect) answer to this question.  

We really hope this clears up some of the mysteries around fats, what they are, how to get them in your diet and how to know what ones are right for you. Until next time!