Research has shown that the omega-3 ALA, which is found in plants and seed oils, has a variety of potential health benefits. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that every gram of ALA consumed per day correlated with a 10% lower risk of fatal coronary heart disease (CHD). A more recent analysis found that higher ALA levels correlated with an 11% reduction in CHD, and in clinical settings it has been found to decrease the expression of inflammatory disorders. In a study of people with high blood pressure, it was found that those who ate a diet high in flax—which has high ALA content—had lower blood pressure than those who consumed a placebo.
In addition to its anti-inflammatory qualities, ALA has other health benefits. A 2022 clinical trial found that ALA supplementation not only reduced triglycerides—a benefit associated with other omega-3s—but also reduced total cholesterol, an effect not seen from other omega-3s.
However, there has been debate in the omega-3 world about whether ALA is readily converted by the body into DHA and EPA, which are only naturally found in some microalgae and the fish and krill which eat them. We know that DHA and EPA support heart, brain, and eye health, and we know that the body can convert ALA into DHA and EPA to some degree. The question has been whether ALA can be converted into DHA and EPA well enough to meet the body’s demand for them.
Studies have shown that ALA is an important part of the diet, but the human body does not efficiently convert it to DHA or EPA.
A 2022 meta-analysis published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition examined studies measuring the omega-3 indexes of people consuming large amounts of ALA. The omega-3 index is the gold standard for measuring DHA and EPA levels because it’s a direct measurement of the DHA and EPA your body can make use of, and studies have shown that high omega-3 indexes (typically 8+%) correlate with reduced risk of adverse cardiac events, cardiac arrest, and other causes of mortality.
All the studies reviewed in the analysis focused on whether flaxseed oil, which is very high in ALA, raised omega-3 blood levels. The studies consistently showed that ALA did not raise DHA and EPA levels. Furthermore, it was found that “DHA and EPA were significantly lower for the majority of vegans and [omega-6] levels were significantly higher for all vegan groups.”
This raises two concerns for vegans. One, plant-based diets don’t contain DHA and EPA. Secondly, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in Western diets has been increasing for decades, and there’s evidence that higher ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and other negative health consequences.
We know ALA is an important part of the diet. It’s an essential fatty acid that studies indicate benefits heart health, and you need to eat a lot of it—the FDA’s current recommended Daily Value is 1.6 grams per day. However, DHA and EPA are also important components of the diet, and the evidence shows that people must consume DHA and EPA to increase their levels of these important omega-3s. For those who can’t or choose not to eat fish, options are limited.
This is one of the many reasons why Nuseed developed Nutriterra: to offer a truly plant-based, vegan-friendly source of complete omega-3 nutrition for those can’t or prefer not to consume fish. Not only does it contain DHA, it also contains twice the ALA of conventional canola oil—delivering the omega-3 nutrition of fish and plants in a single source.
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