1. OUR WESTERN DIETS TYPICALLY LACK OMEGA-3s
In Europe and North America, most adults consume too many saturated fats, and more than 80% lack omega-3 lipids DHA and EPA. An unbalanced lipid intake may lead to the development of several diseases.
Western diets, which are rich in animal fats and conventional vegetable oils, generally provide us with plenty of saturated fatty acids, a good amount of omega-6 fatty acids, but not enough omega-3s and omega-9s.
As a result, the vast majority of adults in Europe and North America lack omega-3 lipids DHA and EPA. In France as well, most adults consume too many saturated fatty acids, and the deficit of omega-3 and omega-9 fatty acids amongst the population is widespread:
- Deficit of Omega-3 (DHA+EPA): 90% of the total population, 96% among the 18-34 year-old
- Deficit of Omega-9: 91% of the population, 94% among the 18-34 year-old
Quality lipids are essential to a good health. An unbalanced fatty acid profile may lead to the development of several diseases such as chronic inflammation, cardiovascular issues, rheumatoid arthritis or neurodegenerative diseases.
2. HEALTH BENEFITS OF OMEGA-3s
Omega-3 fatty acids play a major role in the development and functioning of our cardiovascular system, our eyes, our brains and nervous system. They have also shown to have powerful health benefits on many other conditions.
Omega-3 fatty acids are incredibly important for our health. Their role in human nutrition have been studied very thoroughly over the last decades.
Omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA provide numerous health benefits by :
- Protecting the cardiovascular system
- Strengthening immunity and reducing chronic inflammation
- Nourishing the nervous system and promoting eye health
- Increasing bone density and maintaining healthy joints
- Contributing to the elasticity of the skin
In addition, emerging evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may also be involved in the prevention of lifestyle and age-related health issues such as osteoporosis and arthritis, mental decline, depression and anxiety, the risk to develop some cancers (including colon, prostate and breast cancers) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
3. CHOOSE QUALITY LIPIDS FOR YOUR HEALTH
Maintaining an adequate balance of the different families of lipids through nutrition is critical. They ensure vital biological functions and need to be chosen carefully.
Not all lipids are equal in terms of health benefits. Omega-3 fatty acids are the rarest and the most precious lipids. They must be obtained from our diet as our bodies cannot synthesize them.
The World Health Organisation has issued formal dietary recommendations for omega-3 fatty acids and recommend a minimum daily intake of 250–500 mg combined EPA and DHA for healthy adults.
This amount corresponds to the consumption of fatty fish twice a week. For the majority of us who cannot or do not wish to consume such amount of fish, omega-3 DHA and EPA supplementation is a good alternative.
Omega-6 fatty acids also play an important role in our health. Their proportion in comparison with omega-3 fatty acids (ratio omega-6 to omega-3) must however be controlled. Omega-6 and omega-3 interact in our body. An excess of omega-6 will therefore alter the utilization of omega-3 by our metabolism.
A careful choice of lipids through our nutrition, taking into account the right balance in the different fatty acid types, is therefore important to maintain a good health.
4. YOU ARE UNIQUE, SO SHOULD BE YOUR DIET
Each person has specific needs, depending on individual metabolism, physiology, food preferences and lifestyle.
Health care professionals have known for a long time that what works for one person may not work for another. A healthy diet depends not only on what we eat, but also on personal physiology, individual metabolism and lifestyle.
For an optimal health outcome, one should not only carefully choose quality lipids, but also take each person’s individual needs into account. This led to the emergence of personalized nutrition, in which healthcare professionals develop personalized eating guidelines.
Specific nutrient gaps and needs can be identified by looking at food preferences, activity levels, microbiota composition and, most importantly, nutrient status in the blood. These different analyses will result in a precise definition of which nutrient intake need to be optimized and in which quantities.
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