Our bodies require fat to survive. It is especially vital that our diet include the omega fatty acids linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. These are called essential fatty acids, because the body cannot make them on its own (some omega-3 fatty acids can be made from alpha-linolenic acid, but not efficiently). Other required fatty acids can be made in our bodies if we have the above two in sufficient quantities. (For a more complete explanation of fat chemistry, see "The Skinny on Fats," Food Processing, July 2002.) Two specific fatty acids in the omega class are proving critical to human health: eicos-apentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA).
展开▼
