We know that Omega-3 is beneficial, but do you know why?
To help get you up to speed, we’ve put together this blog, which explains the science behind fatty acids!
what are omega-3 fatty acids?
First things first, we need to explain what Omega-3 fatty acids actually are. At the risk of turning this post into an impromptu science lesson, we’ll start out by saying that they’re a type of polyunsaturated fat that’s made from a long chain of carbon atoms.
what does the omega in omega-3 mean?
Omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet, and that is exactly how it is being used here. A fatty acid chain has an acid group at one end and a methyl group at the other, and it is the methyl end that chemists call the omega end: the last carbon in the chain (1). Everything about an Omega-3 is counted from there.
All Omega-3 fatty acids have a special carbon-carbon double bond that’s located three carbon atoms from that end (1) (hence the “3” in Omega-3!).
The location of this bond allows the chain to be longer, and it's the length of the chain which gives Omega-3 its unique properties. Allowing it to play a role in:
- Building cell membranes
- Producing energy for your cells
- Synthesising important cell-signalling molecules (1)
why can’t your body make its own omega-3?
Now, it’s important to note that the human body can only place these special double bonds after the ninth carbon in a fatty acid chain (not the third as required) (1).
The reason why this is significant is that it means that the body can’t produce its own Omega-3.
In other words, we have to get Omega-3 fatty acids from our diet. We use the word “have” deliberately here, because the unique chemical structure of Omega-3s allow them to perform vital functions that cannot be replicated by other nutrients.
what does omega-3 do in the body?
That same structure is why Omega-3 fatty acids end up built into the membranes of your cells (1). Two of them, EPA and DHA, help the heart work normally (2).
Omega-3 fatty acids have other jobs too. DHA, the longest-chain one, is behind most of them:
- Normal brain function
- Normal vision
- Normal brain and eye development in babies, which comes from the mother’s DHA during pregnancy and breastfeeding
There is more to it than this. If you want the detail on what Omega-3 does and how to get enough of it without eating fish, it is all in our Omega-3 guide for vegans and vegetarians. We have also written about Omega-3 in pregnancy.
SUMMARY: Omega-3 is a fatty acid which is unique because of its chemical structure. This allows it to perform important functions throughout the body that can't be done by other nutrients. The human body can't create this special structure and so Omega-3 needs to come from the diet.
references
(1) https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional/
