Page 64 - Vegan Food & Living (February 2020)

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the risk of heart disease and dementia,
Dr Justine Butler improving memory, and it may even help our
demystifies the can make these, so they are not considered eyesight. However, it’s unclear whether these

benefits are derived directly from ALA or from

‘essential’ in the diet, but having a direct source

confusion about of them does have health benefits. the long-chain fatty acids created in the body
The two main classes of polyunsaturated
from ALA – EPA and DHA. The liver and
omega-3 and how fats are the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. neuronal cells of the brain convert ALA into
to get it in your diet ALA (alpha linolenic acid) is an omega-3 fat these other omega-3 fats, which are required

found in flaxseed oil, soya bean oil, rapeseed
for healthy brain function among other things.
oil and nuts – especially walnuts. ALA is an The rate at which ALA is converted into
veryone knows that saturated fats – essential fatty acid that our bodies can’t make, these longer-chain fatty acids is notoriously
those in meat, cheese, butter, pies and so we need to obtain it from our food. low, with estimates that no more than one per
Ebiscuits – are ‘bad’, while unsaturated EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA cent of ALA is converted and less than 0.1 per
fats in nuts and seeds are ‘good’. But are some (docosahexaenoic acid) are what’s called cent used to make DHA. The rest is used by
of the good ones better than others and where ‘longer-chain’ omega-3s, they’re found in oily tissues, such as the heart and other muscles,

can you find them? fish such as sardines, salmon and mackerel. for energy or it is recycled and used to make

Fatty acids are the building blocks of fats However, EPA and DHA can also be produced other fatty acids, such as cholesterol and
and those described as ‘good’ fall in two groups in the body from ALA. It sounds complicated, amino acids (the building blocks of protein).
– monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. but all we need to do is make sure our diets The enzymes our bodies use to convert ALA
Monounsaturated include omega-7 and provide a moderate supply of healthy nuts, to EPA and DHA are the same ones used to
omega-9 fats, found in macadamia nut and seeds and some plant oils! covert ALA into its longer-chain omega-6 fatty

olive oils, for example. Our bodies Studies show that diets rich in ALA offer a acids. This creates competition between the
ts, including lowering

range of health benefi
range of health benefits, including lowering two essential fatty acids so a high intake of
one can impact the levels of the other. For this
reason, it’s important to have a good balance
of omega-3 and omega-6 in the diet.
Feeding your brain
The omega-3 fat DHA plays a vital role in
the brain, with very high amounts found in
the membranes of brain cells. It is especially
important in the early development of
the brain in the embryo and foetus. DHA
accumulates in the foetal brain during the

last trimester and the first 6-10 months
after birth when the brain and vision are
developing rapidly. During this time, an infant
is dependent on the fatty acids either in their
infant formula or their mother’s breast milk,
which will vary depending on her diet. Reduced
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64 VEGANFOODANDLIVING.COM