Omega Who?

by: Maria Bohland, R.D.

We hear it everyday, “Take your Omega- 3’s, 6’s, 9’s!” What are they? Do we really need them? The answer is most definitely because they are not manufactured by the human body, and must, therefore, be obtained through the diet. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid, and linoleic acid (LA), an omega-6 fatty acid, are the predominant essential fatty acids in humans. Significant plant sources of ALA or Omega- 3’s include walnuts, flaxseed, flaxseed oil, canola oil, and soybean oil. Other Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are found predominantly in fatty fish like salmon and sardines. Omega 6’s are found in unmodified vegetable oils such as corn, safflower, cotton seed, sesame, and sunflower seed oils.
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