Omega-3 Fatty Acids: What Role Do They Play?

by Shereen Jegtvig

Fats can be confusing.  Some are bad for you, if you eat too much of them, like the saturated fats and trans fats, but some are good for you, like the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.  But you even have to be a little careful with the good fats, because all fats are high in calories.  One gram of fat has nine calories, almost twice as much as the same amount of carbohydrate or protein.  You need fats, but not a lot of them and some, like the omega-3 fats are essential – your body can’t make them for you – so you need to get them from your diet.

Omega-3 fats are necessary for good health – they’ll help protect your heart, slow down macular degeneration (the leading cause of blindness in the elderly), and reduce inflammation in your body.  Your brain and nervous system need omega-3 fats for normal function, and in fact, it’s crucial for pregnant women to get lots of omega-3 fats during the third trimester of pregnancy as well as through the first three months of nursing, so that the baby’s brain and eyes develop normally. Read more

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