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Essential fatty acids are fatty acids that are required in the human diet. This means they cannot be synthesized by the body from other fatty acids and must be obtained from food. They were originally designated as Vitamin F, until it was realized that they are best classified with the fats. They were given the label "essential" when researchers found that removal of fatty acids from the diet harmed the normal growth of young children and animals. In the body, essential fatty acids are modified to make the eicosanoids and the endogenous cannabinoids. ExamplesThe essential fatty acids are:
These two fatty acids cannot be synthesised by humans as we lack the desaturase enzymes required for their production. They form the starting point for the creation of longer and more desaturated fatty acids, which are also referred to as long-chain polyunsaturates:
Omega-9 fatty acids are not essential, because we possess all the enzymes required for their synthesis. Food sourcesSome of the food sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are fish and shellfish, flaxseed (linseed), soya oil, canola (rapeseed) oil, hemp oil, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, leafy vegetables, and walnuts. Essential fatty acids play a part in many metabolic processes, and there is evidence to suggest that low levels of essential fatty acids, or the wrong balance of types among the essential fatty acids, may be a factor in a number of illnesses. References
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