HEALTHY FATS

Although Americans get an overabundance of unhealthy saturated, hydrogenated, and trans-fatty ac- ids, our diets are lacking in the right kinds of fats.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) - are unsaturated fatty acids that the body is unable to synthesize and therefore must be obtained from the diet. The two most important are linoleic acid (an omega- 6 fatty acid) and alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid). Americans get an overabundance of omega-6 fatty acids in their diet from poor sources such as margarine, salad dressing, chips, cracker, and ready-made baked goods. Care should be taken to limit omega-6 fatty acids and to get them from quality sources. Total fat intake should be limited to 20-30% of daily caloric intake.

Safe Sources of Fish and Fish Oil

Fish is one of the best sources of omega-3 fats because it is high in EPA and DHA. Although ocean fish can be contaminated by mercury, which is toxic to humans, stud- ies still support the cardio-protective benefit from eating fish. Fish with the highest levels of mercury are swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, and shark, and should therefore be avoided. We recommend eating no more than one or two servings of fish per week.

Farm-raised fish may contain lower levels of mercury, they contain high levels of PCBs, cancer-causing chemicals from hydraulic fluids, oils, electrical transformers. Moreover, farm-raised fish are not high in omega-3 fats due to their diet in cornmeal.

We recommend purified fish-oil supplements to ensure adequate omega-3 intake. Make sure theses supplements are purified of mercury and other pollutants.