An Introduction to Fatty Acids

Omega 3 fatty acids are more commonly referred to as fish oils. They belong to the class of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The two important types of Omega 3 fatty acids are: Docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Fish oil is the major source of omega 3 acids. Fish consumption is therefore widely encouraged by the medical world. For people who do not consume fish, there are gelatin capsules to add omega 3 acids to your body.

Omega 3 acids have a number of uses in the human body. They have a good impact on the cardiovascular health, help us remain energetic, encourage good cholesterol levels and helps us to have good eyesight.

Omega 3 fatty acids are not produced by our body naturally. These are mostly found in fatty oils that can be obtained from different fishes and or flax seed oil. These acids are also referred to as alpha linolenic acid. Studies have revealed that the amount of omega 3 acids in the universe have declined over the past few decades.


Some of the sources from which you can get omega-3 fatty acids are:

• Flax or linseed oil
• Flax seeds
• Rapeseed oil
• Hemp oils
• Pumpkin seeds
• Fish oils including sardines, salmon, trout and mackerel
• Walnuts
• Soybean oil

Fatty Acids and Vision

What you consume may have a direct bearing on your vision. Your daily intake of fish has a beneficial effect on your vision. Intake of omega-3 fatty acids is inversely proportional to poor vision. Regular consumption of these can reduce risk of eye illnesses by as much as 45%. In many studies that were conducted it was revealed that eating fish three times a week brings down the chances of this disease by at least 75%. A regular diet comprising omega-3 polyunsaturated fats provides good protection against this form of vision loss.

If you are not able to consume the food items regularly, you can take a supplement that contains flax seed oils or fish. This can keep unwanted illness at bay. It is also very good for preventing vision related problems. One of the problems that it helps to combat is macular degeneration. People who consumed fish stood a lesser chance of contracting this disease.

Another syndrome which can be taken care of by adequate consumption of fish is the dry eye syndrome. This is a condition when the eyes do not produce enough tears. This can cause damage to the cornea as well as vision loss. Regular consumption of tuna has proved to be very helpful. Two to four servings of the fish brought down the risk of dry eye syndrome by a considerable percentage. Studies have revealed that another major disease that the oil can protect the eyes against is the development of retinopathy. This is a condition wherein the retina deteriorates. It has been found that regular consumption of omega 3 acids lowers the risk of retinopathy by a considerable margin.

It is now clear that what you consume may have a direct bearing on your vision. It is imperative that omega 3 acids be made a part of your diet to prevent the development of eye illnesses.

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