Linseed and Omega 3
What is Omega 3?
Omega 3 is the name given to a family of polyunsaturated fatty acids that are needed for good health. They occur naturally in very few foods: oily fish and the algae on which they feed, nuts and seeds. Of the vegetarian sources, Linseed is by far the richest source with around 60% Omega 3. The Omega 3 in Linseed is called ALA or alpha linoleic acid, which is known as an ‘essential’ fat because it cannot be made by the body, but must be eaten as part of a balanced diet.
What do fatty acids do?
Fatty acids help the body make hormone-like substances called prostaglandins and eiconsanoids, which make sure all the main organs run smoothly. Omega 3 is especially important because it’s needed to make the membranes of every one of the 700 million million cells that race around our personal chemical factory – which is what the body basically amounts to. Put the right ingredients in and it will come up with a formula to keep you well. It’s simple, really!
Both Omega 3 and Omega 6, which also occurs naturally in Linseed, play a vital role in regulating blood cholesterol, keeping your heart healthy and helping the circulatory system. It also helps keep the digestive tract in working order.
Omega 3 quite literally oils the wheels of human and animal health, keeping all the cogs moving so we don’t seize up!
How much do I need?
Most of us are seriously deficient in Omega 3, making us vulnerable to many modern ills. According to the World Health Organisation, we need up to 1 dessertspoon (10ml) of Omega 3 in the diet. The best way to do this is to use the oil as an everyday food ingredient, as with other oils it will soon become second nature and the whole family will enjoy the flavour.
It’s worth remembering that Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats will not make you fat – in fact, eaten as part of a calorie controlled diet, they can assist in regulating your weight.
What’s the evidence that Omega 3 is good for me?
Apart from the overwhelmingly positive feed back that we have received from customers, there have been many scientific studies on the effect increasing Omega 3 in the diet has on behaviour, mental health and performance, inflammatory disease and even life threatening disorders, such as cancer.
