How Can Vegetarians Ensure an Adequate Intake of Omega-3?

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How Can Vegetarians Ensure an Adequate Intake of Omega-3? JoAnn Guest Jan

24, 2003 14:14 PST

How can Vegetarians Ensure

an adequate intake of omega-3?

 

The following four guidelines will help to insure an appropriate

quantity and balance of essential fatty acids in vegetarian and vegan

diets:

 

Limit intake of saturated fats and trans fatty acids.

 

In vegetarian diets the primary sources of trans and saturated fats

 

are refined carbohydrates and dairy

products while vegan diets are low in saturated fats unless there is

a heavy reliance on *tropical* oils.

 

Trans fatty acids come primarily from hydrogenated vegetable oils.

 

These fats have the potential to interfere with the *conversion* of

alpha-linolenic acid to DHA, in addition to increasing risk for

degenerative diseases.

 

Trans fatty acids are plentiful in Crisco and other shortening, hydrogenated

margarines (Benecol & Take Control as well), processed foods containing

hydrogenated and partially

hydrogenated vegetable oils (crackers, cookies, cakes, pastries,

frozen convenience foods, snack foods) and fast foods (hydrogenated

oils are used for deep frying).

 

Make monounsaturated fats the principal fat in the diet.

 

Monounsaturated fats should make up the largest portion of fat in the

diet,...

 

as they have been proven to have *neutral* or positive affects on health.

 

In addition, emphasizing monounsaturated fats will help to keep

saturated fats, trans fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids to a modest level.

 

Extra-Virgin Olive oil (77% mono-fat) would be

the recommended oil to use.

 

 

Avocados, olives, hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, macadamia nuts and pecans are

also

excellent sources of monounsaturated fats.

 

These foods also provide valuable vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals

and fiber, and when used moderately, make an excellent addition to

the vegetarian diet.

 

Limit the intake of omega-6-rich polyunsaturated " vegetable " oils.

 

Minimizing the use of polyunsaturated oils rich in omega-6 fatty acids is the

easiest way to keep linoleic acid levels at a reasonable level.

 

Oils that contain predominately omega-6 fatty acids include corn oil,

sunflower oil, safflower oil, and cottonseed oil.

 

Commercial products such as margarine, salad dressing and mayonnaise

that are made with these oils should also be limited.

 

Non-gmo Soybean oil and walnut oil are also rich sources of omega-6

fatty acids, but their omega-6 content is partially " compensated " for

 

 

by an omega-3 content of 5-8%.

 

Include a source of omega-3 fatty acids in the daily diet.

 

In order to obtain sufficient omega-3 fatty acids in the vegetarian

diet, good plant sources of this nutrient must be incorporated into the

daily diet.

 

The best source of alpha-linolenic acid is flaxseed oil (57% omega-3

and 17% omega-6 fatty acids).Other omega-3-rich plant foods are much less

concentrated sources of

this nutrient, often coming packaged

with much higher amounts of linoleic (omega-6) acid.

 

 

JoAnn Guest

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DietaryTi-

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