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Wading through the largely unpronounceable and definitely un-spellable literature, it seems that essential fatty acids are not able to be made in our body, so thus they are called essential. These fatty acids are needed for making cells and tissues, or breaking them down and using them for energy.

Low levels of essential fatty acids, or the wrong balance of types among the essential fatty acids, may be a factor in diseases.

Essential fatty acids, [EFAs], are essential to survive, they cannot be made by our bodies, so we must get them from our food.

Essential fatty acids have many functions, and getting the balance right of -3 and -6 is crucial to their function, as they compete for the same metabolic enzymes.

Healthy ratios of 6:3 range from 1:1 to 4:1

They influence mood, behavior and inflammation. They form lipid rafts, affecting cell communication, and they act on DNA.

We can see that their role is critical in our basic cell function, and they don't just play a role as fuel.

There are two families of EFAs: -3 (or omega-3 or n-3) and -6 (omega-6, n-6.)

Omega 3's

eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA
docosahexaenoic acid or DHA

Omega 6

gamma-linolenic acid or GLA (18:3)
dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid or DGLA (20:3)
arachidonic acid or AA

Fats from each of these families are essential, as we can convert one omega-3 to another omega-3, for example, but cannot create an omega-3 from scratch. They were originally named as Vitamin F when they were discovered as essential nutrients in 1923. In 1930, work by Burr, Burr and Miller showed that they are better classified with the fats than with the vitamins.

omega-9 is not classed as essential, because it can be made by the human body from unsaturated fat.

These omega-3 omega-6, we can get from plant or animal sources, and although these are essential for us to function, it is difficult to find set recommended daily amounts. Using foods that contain EFA's on a daily basis is the best way, but supplements from plant or animal origin are easily obtained.

The most widely available source of EPA and DHA is cold water oily fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies and sardines, and tuna to a lesser degree. With oily fish, there is a potential presence of heavy metals and fat-soluble pollutants like PCB's and dioxins.

Some supplement manufacturers remove heavy metals and other contaminants from the oil through various means, such as molecular distillation, which increases purity, potency and safety. Although fish is a dietary source of 3 fatty acids, fish do not synthesize them; they obtain them from the algae in their diet.

One advantage of extracting 3 fatty acids from krill, as opposed to sources higher in the food chain, is that krill contain fewer heavy metals and PCBs harmful to humans.

Half a pint of milk provides 10% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of ALA, while a piece of organic cheese the size of a matchbox may provide up to 88%".

The 6 to 3 ratio of grass-fed beef is about 2:1, making it a more useful source of 3 than grain-fed beef, which usually has a ratio of 4:1. Commercially available lamb is almost always grass-fed, and subsequently higher in 3 than other common meat sources.

The microalgae Crypthecodinium cohnii and Schizochytrium are rich sources of DHA (22:6 -3) and can be produced commercially in bioreactors.

Cod liver oil is made by cooking cod livers with steam, and then pressing/decanting the cooked livers to extract the oil. This is in contrast to fish oils, which are extracted from the cooked whole body of fatty fish during the manufacture off fish meal.

Plant sources of Essential Fatty Acids

Plant sources of Essential Fatty Acids are Flax seed, which is six times richer than most fish! Grape seed oil, Oil from brown algae (kelp) is a source of EPA. Walnuts are one of few nuts that contain appreciable 3 fat, with approximately a 1:4 ratio of 3 to 6.

Acai palm fruit also contains 3 fatty acids.

Not so buy l ascorbic acid are; Chia, Kiwifruit, Perilla, Flax, Lingonberry, Camelina, Purslane, Black Raspberry, and Wakame is a rich source of EPA.

Eggs, and interesting to note that eggs produced by chickens fed a diet of greens and insects produce higher levels of fatty acids than chickens fed corn or soybeans

How these fatty acids specifically help us.

Essential Fatty Acids stimulate blood circulation, increases the breakdown of fibrin, a compound involved in clot and scar formation, and additionally has been shown to reduce blood pressure. People with certain circulatory problems, such as varicose veins, benefit from fish oil.

There is strong scientific evidence, that 3 fatty acids significantly reduce blood triglyceride levels and regular intake reduces the risk of secondary and primary heart attack.

Some benefits have been reported in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and cardiac arrhythmias.

There is a promising preliminary evidence, that 3 fatty acids supplementation might be helpful in cases of depression and anxiety.

Studies report highly significant improvement from 3 fatty acids supplementation alone and in conjunction with medication. Some research suggests that Essential Fatty Acids may reduce the risk of ischemic and thrombotic stroke.

However, very large amounts may actually increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

Lower amounts are not related to this risk.

3 grams of total EPA/DHA daily are considered safe with no increased risk of bleeding involved and many studies used substantially higher doses without major side effects (for example: 4.4 grams EPA/2.2 grams DHA in 2003 study). Several studies report possible anti-cancer effects of 3 fatty acids (particularly breast, colon and prostate cancer).

No clear conclusion can be drawn at this time, however.

People with neck pain and rheumatoid arthritis sufferers have had benefits comparable to those receiving standard NSAIDs].

Those who follow a Mediterranean-style diet tend to have less heart disease, higher HDL ("good") cholesterol levels and higher proportions of 3 in tissue highly unsaturated fatty acids.

Similar to those who follow a Mediterranean diet, Arctic-dwelling Inuit - who consume high amounts of 3 fatty acids from fatty fish - also tend to have higher proportions of 3, increased HDL cholesterol and decreased triglycerides (fatty material that circulates in the blood) and less heart disease.

Eating walnuts (the ratio of 3 to 6 is circa 1:4 respectively) was reported to lower total cholesterol by 4% relative to controls when people also ate 27% less cholesterol.

Alpha Lipoic Acid

Alpha lipoic acid is a fatty acid that's found naturally in every cell in the body.

It's involved in many key functions, such as converting glucose into energy. It's also an antioxidant. What makes it so unusual is that, unlike the more common antioxidants vitamins C and E, alpha lipoic acid works in both water and fat and it's able to recycle other antioxidants that have been used up.

So when buying meat or chicken, look for organic and fed from natural foods as this increases the natural occurring Omega's, and don't forget the important plant kingdom, there are ways to make flax seed tasty... try mixing ground flax seed with mashed banana, honey, sunflower seeds and crushed walnuts, almond, and Brazil nuts, add some cocoa and form them into balls and roll them in coconut, and stand back; the kids will devour them in no time at all!

http://www.bounties-of-nature.com/wakame-seaweed.html

http://www.bounties-of-nature.com/acai-antioxidant.html