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The touted ‘rich in omega 6 and 3 fatty acids’ seems to be the hype in margarine spreads. Yet margarine that is high in omega 6 and 3 has a history of being high in trans fats. Margarine should preferably be trans free. Then again you may be wandering, if your diet lacks margarine where will a rich source of omega 6 and 3 come from? It’s healthy to have most fatty input in the monounsaturated form.  Seek out foods that have most fat in monounsaturated forms, which includes most natural whole foods and our honoured olive oil. Okay is margarine really essential for a healthy lifestyle? The answer can be yes and no and depends on the type used and how you use it and what your whole diet entails. Margarine is often fortified with vitamin E which is essential and if you get more bravo to you! Margarine is a useful source of vitamin A and D, two essential fat-soluble vitamins. Omega 6 and 3 are essential and with reliable research it’s been shown that they improve neurone health! This basically means brain functioning in children and adults is given a boost if feed the correct forms (not trans fatty acids) and levels of fatty acids. Trans fatty acids are the corrupted form of the polyunsaturated fatty acids. A theory suggests human kind’s advancement or evolution is linked to the brain growth as our ancestors gobbled up essential fatty acids from sea foods. Sea foods (fish and shell fish) are great suppliers of ready made fats our brain likes to have. Too much omega 6 and 3 can be unhealthy and if your body is being fed other harmful fats it can lead to health problems. Another ‘gold star’ for vitamin E is that it protects against trans fatty acid rolling production. Our depletion or low levels of vitamin E allow good fats to be corrupted into trans forms, even in our bodies. A dose of vitamin E with carotene phytonutrients (such as in carrots, butternut and tomatoes to name but a few) all keep omega 6 and 3 in healthy forms. Protect essential fatty acids (polyunsaturated fats) from being corrupted by not heating your fats. Extra virgin olive oil has a high quality because the extraction process is cold press (no heat involved). Heat, long oxygen and light exposure damage polyunsaturated fats. This results in the processing of fats to be detrimental. Ordinary high polyunsaturated processed products should be shunned as they more than likely are high in trans fats. Modern technology has enabled trans free margarine availability. That is worth looking into. Shortening and cooking oils have more trans fats. We can’t avoid them but the less obstructing garbage the better. Trans fats are garbage, a waste. Anastacia Sampson D.N. Med |