There are good fats and bad fats (or oils). The best oils are those
that contain essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are
polyunsaturated and can be split into two families, omega-6 EFAs and
omega-3 EFAs. Fish Oils are omega-3 EFAs.
Omega-3 acids are found in
flaxseed oil, walnut oil, and marine plankton and fatty fish. The
predominant fatty acids found in fatty fish and fish oils are
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The most
beneficial and active of these fatty acids are EPA and DHA.
In the early 1970s
Danish physicians observed that Greenland Eskimos had an exceptionally
low incidence of heart disease and arthritis despite the fact that
they consumed a high-fat diet. Research discovered that two of the
fats (oils) they consumed in large quantities, EPA and DHA, were
highly beneficial. Recent research established that EPA and DHA play a
role in the prevention of atherosclerosis, heart attack, depression,
and cancer. Clinical trials have shown that fish oil supplementation
is effective in the treatment of many disorders including rheumatoid
arthritis, diabetes, ulcerative colitis, and Raynaud's disease.
An enormous amount of
medical literature testifies to the fact that fish oils prevent and
may help to ameliorate or reverse atherosclerosis, angina, heart
attack, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, stroke, and peripheral
vascular disease. Fish oils help maintain the elasticity of artery
walls, prevent blood clotting, reduce blood pressure and stabilize
heart rhythm. Several clinical trials have confirmed that fish oils
are effective in lowering high blood pressure and that they may work
even better if combined with a program of salt restriction.
Fish oils have also
been shown as effective in reducing inflammation and can assist people
suffering from rheumatoid arthritis or ulcerative colitis. There is
also evidence that fish oil consumption can delay or reduce tumor
development in breast cancer. Taking a daily supplement of fish oils
of as little as 2.5 grams has been found effective in preventing the
progression from benign polyps to colon cancer.
Cod liver oils and fish
oils are not the same. Cod liver oil is extracted from cod liver and
is an excellent source of vitamins A and D. Fish oils are extracted
from the flesh of fatty fish like salmon and herring and are good
sources of EPA and DHA.
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