🥑Omegas
Omega-3 and omega-6 are fatty acids that are essential nutrients.
Fish are commonly thought of as the source for omega-3, but fish do not make omega-3. Algae is what makes the omega-3 which fish then accumulate. Omega fatty acids comes in three general types:
Omega-3 Omega-3 comes in three types: - ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) - EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) - DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) Most plant sources of omega-3 are ALA. Fortunately, the body naturally converts ALA into EPA and DHA. Because of this, EPA and DHA are not essential nutrients. For people whose bodies cannot do this for any reason, completely vegan supplements of ALA, EPA, and DHA exist. (The omega-3 is from algae and the caplets are made from tapioca.)
Omega-6 The most common form of omega-6 is AA (arachidonic acid)
Omega-9 Omega-9 is not an essential nutrient (it is conditionally-essential) because your body can produce it on its own.
Sources
The following are vegan whole food sources of omegas: Omega-3 Chia seeds, ground linseed, flax seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, and rapeseed oil. Omega-6 Soybean oil, corn oil, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, soya spread, sunflower seeds, almonds, and cashew nuts. Omega-9 Olive oil, cashew nut oil, almond oil, peanut oil, almonds, cashews, and walnuts. Sources: https://vegan.com/health/omega-3/ https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-plant-sources-of-omega-3s https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutrition-and-health/nutrients/omega-3-and-omega-6-fats Dr. Michael Klaper, Seapsiracy, 1:23:30 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/omega-3-6-9-overview
Chemistry
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function, and normal growth and development.
Health Risks of Eating Fish
Fish are often said to be a healthful source for omegas, but this isn't true. Unfortunately, the ocean is heavily polluted, and so toxic chemicals are passed down the food chain, becoming very concentrated in the fish who we eat. When you eat fish, you are eating mercury and other heavy metals, microplastics, PCBs, dioxins, and HCBs. https://nutritionfacts.org/topics/fish/ https://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-to-lower-heavy-metal-levels-with-diet/https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/fish-and-pbcs/faq-20348595 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324239079_Flame_Retardant_Contamination_and_Seafood_Sustainability https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20120530/flame-retardant-found-in-some-common-foods#1 https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/feb/14/sea-to-plate-plastic-got-into-fish https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/from-fish-to-humans-a-microplastic-invasion-may-be-taking-a-toll/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6047777/ https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.29.1.543?journalCode=ecolsys.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20230515194836/https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/pollutants/mercury-environment/health-concerns/food-chain.html "oral exposure to hexachlorobenzene [HCBs] in humans results in a liver disease with associated skin lesions [...] based on animal studies that have reported cancer of the liver, thyroid, and kidney from oral exposure to hexachlorobenzene, EPA has classified hexachlorobenzene as a probable human carcinogen (Group B2)" https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-09/documents/hexachlorobenzene.pdf
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