Omega 3s & inflammation.Too many omega-6 fats (found in soy, corn, and other oils) don't cancel out the anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3 fats that are found in fatty fish like salmon, as some researchers had feared. Investigators measured several indicators of inflammation in more than 850 men and women. Some of the indicators were lower in those who reported eating a diet rich in both omega-3s (eicosapentaenoic acid eicosapentaenoic acid /ei·co·sa·pen·ta·eno·ic ac·id/ (EPA) (i-ko?sah-pen?tah-e-no´ik) an omega-3, polyunsaturated, 20-carbon fatty acid found almost exclusively in fish and marine animal oils. and docosahexaenoic acid docosahexaenoic acid /do·co·sa·hexa·eno·ic ac·id/ (do-ko?sah-hek?sah-e-no´ik) an omega-3, polyunsaturated, 22-carbon fatty acid found almost exclusively in fish and marine animal oils. ) and omega-6s (linoleic acid linoleic acid /lin·o·le·ic ac·id/ (lin?o-le´ik) a polyunsaturated fatty acid, occurring as a major constituent of many vegetable oils; it is used in the biosynthesis of prostaglandins and cell membranes. ). (Alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fat found in canola oil, flax, and purslane purslane, common name for some plants of the Portulaceae, a family of herbs and a few small shrubs, chiefly of the Americas. The portulacas or purslanes (genus Portulaca) include many species indigenous to the United States. , wasn't linked to lower inflammation.) Inflammation may raise the risk of heart disease. What to do: This study suggests, but can't prove, that omega-3 fats reduce levels of inflammation. But it offers one more reason to eat seafood a few times a week without worrying that the soy oil in your salad dressing will cancel out the seafood's benefits. Circulation 108: 155, 2003. |
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