Category Archives: Alpha Linolenic Acid

Acai Berry: Antioxidant Cocktail

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Robert Barrington

 he acai berry is a fruit found in palm trees (Euterpe oleraceae) native to the Amazon basin and surrounding areas in South America. The fruit of the tree holds economic value to the indigenous populations of these areas where it … Continue reading →

Posted in Acai Berry, Alpha Linolenic Acid, Antioxidant, Linoleic Acid, Oloeic Acid, Omega 3, Omega 6, Polyphenols, Proanthocyanidins, Short Chain Fatty Acids, Sterols and Stanols | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Acai Berry: Antioxidant Cocktail

High Fat Diets are Healthy

Posted on September 25, 2013 by Robert Barrington

he recent advice to limit intakes of dietary fat has been a disaster for health. Medical recommendations to lower fat and cholesterol intakes, based on the erroneous cholesterol theory of cardiovascular disease, have caused an epidemic of obesity in Western … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Essential Fatty Acids, Fat, Fatty Acids, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Linoleic Acid, Monounsaturated Fatty Acids, Mortality, Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, Saturated Fatty Acids, Trans Fatty Acids | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on High Fat Diets are Healthy

Alpha Linolenic Acid: Inferior to Fish Oil?

Posted on August 23, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Alpha linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 (n-3)) is an essential fatty acid. Therefore alpha linolenic acid is required for heath but cannot be synthesised endogenously, and so must be present in the diet. Most humans possess a deficiency of the gene … Continue reading →

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More on Alcohol and Omega 3 Fatty Acids Metabolism: This Time Wine

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Alcohol shows favourable effects on lipoprotein concentrations because it is associated with an increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL). This has been suggested to be the reason for its beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease. However, consumption of ethanol has been … Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Alpha Linolenic Acid, Cardiovascular Disease, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Docosanoids, Eicosanoids, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, HDL, Wine | Tagged , , | Comments Off on More on Alcohol and Omega 3 Fatty Acids Metabolism: This Time Wine

Alcohol Raises Plasma Omega 3 Concentrations: We Have a Winner

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Alcohol is interesting because despite its unhealthy reputation within the mainstream, even relatively high intakes are protective of disease. In particular, alcohol appears to protect from cardiovascular disease, and a number of mechanisms have been put forward to explain this … Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Alpha Linolenic Acid, Cardiovascular Disease, Delta 6-desaturase, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Docosanoids, Eicosanoids, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Fatty Acids, Fish, Fish Oils, Flax Oil | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Alcohol Raises Plasma Omega 3 Concentrations: We Have a Winner

Functional Foods: Eggs

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Robert Barrington

ggs are a rich source of cholesterol, and for this reason they have been demonised by proponents of the cholesterol theory of cardiovascular disease. However, evidence does not support a role for eggs in the elevation of plasma cholesterol concentrations … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Cardiovascular Disease, Cholesterol, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eggs, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Fish, Fish Oils, Flax Oil | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Functional Foods: Eggs

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Robert Barrington

pidemiological studies suggest that consuming fish is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Fish may be protective of cardiovascular disease because of the long-chain fatty acids contained within it. Fish oil accumulates in the skin of some species … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Arachidonic Acid, Blood Pressure, Cardiovascular Disease, Delta 5-desaturase, Delta 6-desaturase, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Docosanoids, Docosapentaenoic Acid, Eicosanoids, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Fish, Fish Oils | Tagged , | Comments Off on So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

Farmed Versus Wild Fish: Omega 3 to 6 Ratio Differences

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Robert Barrington

The long-chain fatty acids eicosapentanoic acid (EPA, C20:5 (n-3)) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA, C22:6 (n-3)) have been shown to be beneficial to human health. The benefits of EPA and DHA derive from their physiological role in the synthesis of cell … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Arachidonic Acid, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Docosanoids, Eicosanoids, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Fish, Fish Oils | Tagged | Comments Off on Farmed Versus Wild Fish: Omega 3 to 6 Ratio Differences

Delta 6-desaturase: The Essential Fatty Acid Roadblock

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA, C20:5 (n-3)) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA, C22:6 (n-3)) are precursors to a number of important signal molecules that are required for cell function. These long-chain fatty acids accumulate in cell membranes and are then used by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Cardiovascular Disease, Delta 5-desaturase, Delta 6-desaturase, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Docosanoids, Docosapentaenoic Acid, Eicosanoids, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Eicosatraenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Fatty Acids, Fish, Fish Oils, Flax Oil, Immune System, Inflammation, Linoleic Acid, Stearidonic Acid | Comments Off on Delta 6-desaturase: The Essential Fatty Acid Roadblock

Alpha Linolenic Acid: Has it Become Irrelevant?

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Humans lack the Δ15-destaurase enzyme necessary for the conversion of linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 (n-6)) to α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 (n-3)). However, plants possess Δ15-destaurase and some plant foods are therefore good sources of ALA. In humans, plant derived ALA … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Cardiovascular Disease, Delta 5-desaturase, Delta 6-desaturase, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Fish, Fish Oils, Flax Oil, Hemp | Comments Off on Alpha Linolenic Acid: Has it Become Irrelevant?