Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 (n-3)) is one of the two essential fatty acids required for human health. An absence of adequate ALA in the diet is fatal and an imbalance of ALA with the other essential fatty acid linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 (n-6)) can be a significant cause of inflammation. Obtaining optimal levels of ALA in the diet is therefore pivotal to health. A number of dietary sources of ALA exist but these are not often found in the Western diet, which explains partly why the diet is associated with inflammation. Some of the best sources of ALA include flax seeds, walnuts and hemp seeds. Soy oil also contains reasonably high amounts of ALA, but is usually refined and therefore the fat content is degraded. An often overlooked source of ALA is green leafy vegetables. These foods do not contain high amounts of ALA, but as they can form a large part of the diet they can supply a good amount of ALA. The advantage of this is that a high plant diet also limits LA, which allows a proper balance of the two fats.
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