Omega 9 fatty acids are a subgroup of fats, many of which are essential for your body. Although omega 9 fats are extremely important for your health, it is not actually essential. In the presence of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, our body can produce small amounts of omega 9.
Understanding Fatty Acids
A fatty acid consists of a carboxylic acid group with a long carbon chain tail. In science, these are drawn as kinky lines like this: ///////, with the ends and each point representing one carbon atom. In nature, there is usually an even number of carbon atoms in the chain. Omega 9 fatty acids get their name from having a double bond after the 9th carbon from the free tail of the chain.
Symptoms of Fatty Acid Deficiency
While omega 9 is not essential, deficiency can still result in certain physical symptoms in the body. Most commonly, a deficiency in omega 9 fatty acids results in dry, cracked, peeling skin, and dandruff. Because of its frequency in the diet, supplementation is only really necessary in severely deficient diets like those seen in starvation or anorexia.
Key Health Benefits of Omega 9
Omega 9 fatty acids may help to lower “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and raise “good” cholesterol (HDL), which can help to rebalance High Cholesterol. Normal dietary levels are sufficient for this effect.
Omega 9 Food Sources
The main types of omega 9 fatty acids that are important in the human body are oleic and erucic acids. Food sources of oleic acid are olive, peanut and sunflower oils. Erucic acid is found in rapeseed and mustard seed oils. Although canola oil is technically from rapeseed, it has been crossbred and genetically modified to reduce its erucic acid content. Foods that naturally contain omega 9 fats are: olives, avocados, sesame oil, and nuts, such as: almonds, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, cashews, hazelnuts, and macadamias. Simply using 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil in your cooking each day will provide your body with more than enough omega 9 fats to sustain health.
