Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 20001, investigated the effects of consumption of foods rich in n-3 fatty acids in normal healthy male subjects. In particular, the researchers wanted to measure the effects on certain inflammatory markers and the tissue concentrations of n-3 fatty acids. Subjects consumed a diet high in foods fortified with alpha linolenic acid (ALA) from flax providing 9 g per day of ALA or eicosapentanoic (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) from fish providing 1.8 g per day of EPA and DHA respectively. The results demonstrated that the fortified foods where sufficient to decrease synthesis levels of thromboxane B2, prostaglandin E2 and interleukin 1β by 36, 26 and 20 % respectively, suggesting that systemic inflammation had decreased. In addition, the subjects showed a 3-fold increase in EPA in plasma, platelets and mononuclear cell phospholipids.
The authors suggested that fortifying foods was an important consideration because large numbers of people are deficient in the n-3 fatty acid ALA, and research has suggested that increased intakes of the n-3 fatty acids decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease, dementias and rheumatoid arthritis. The authors also suggested that the recommendation to increase consumption of fatty fish has not been successful amongst the general public and fish oil capsules might not be suitable for daily consumption long term. However, ethical considerations aside, fortification of foods with long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids is not practical outside of realms of a clinical study because the commercial viability of the products would be effected by the vastly decreased shelf lives. This results because the chemical stability of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids is poor when compared to other alternatives used in food manufacture
One of the main reasons that n-3 fatty acids are deficient in Western populations is because generally, convenience and processed foods with long shelf lives make up the majority of the diet, and these food are either devoid of ALA or have it deliberately removed to improve shelf life. Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids from fish and ALA are known to produce offensive tastes when rancid and in this chemical state are damaging to the health. Most supermarket oils, although naturally low in ALA, are also heavily processed and are therefore almost totally deficient of meaningful levels of ALA. In addition, mineral and vitamin deficiencies, which are common amongst the general population, exacerbate the ALA deficiency because the metabolic fate of ALA is determined by enzymes that require vitamin and mineral co-factors.
One of the most effective way to increase the ALA content of people diets is to promote production of livestock and farmed produce that uses high ALA content feedstock. This changes the fatty acid patterns of the produce which can benefit those who consume the products. Cattle fed on organic grass and flax seeds produce meat contents with higher n‑3 content that mirrors the profiles seen in wild animals eating their natural diets. Eggs enriched with ALA are one commercial product that uses this technique. The use of natural, cold pressed organic oils from flax, walnut or hemp are also an effective way to increase the ALA content of the diet and such oils are available from health food outlets in bottles. Individuals can use these oils to fortify their own foods and use them oil liberally on salads, fruit or pasta.
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