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Omega Fatty Acids
The typical American diet has an average fat intake just under 33% of total calories consumed. This value is well within the range that is considered healthy by the dietary recommended intake (DRI) committee; however, it was further revealed that 25% of the population consumes 35% or more of their total calories from fat. Typically, the American on-the-go diet is high in saturated and trans fatty acids, often referred to as “bad” fat from fast and processed foods like hamburgers, most desserts, French fries, etc. Over time, the consumption of foods that are rich in “bad” fat has been found to promote health risks. However, the diet also provides “good” fat, which must be consumed on a daily basis for general health and well-being.
Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are dietary fats that have been shown in research to lower the risks associated with certain chronic conditions including the heart, joints, brain and skin. Several examples of MUFAs include palmitoleic acid and oleic acid, which can be found abundantly in olives, olive oil, nuts and avocados – items considered to be the backbone of the heart healthy Mediterranean diet. Several examples of PUFAs include linoleic acid (LA), gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which can be found abundantly in soybean, sunflower, fish, borage, evening primrose and flax seed oils, fish, sardines and walnuts and have been shown in research to be beneficial for heart, joint, brain, skin and menopausal health. 
Omega-3 fatty acids consist of the parent compound ALA and its derivatives EPA and DHA, which can be found in ample quantities in fish, sardines, walnuts and flax seed oil. They are essential for the optimal function of every cell in the body; yet, ALA cannot be manufactured internally and must be obtained through the diet and supplementation. ALA is the shortest chain form of omega-3 and is the only form found in plants. EPA and DHA are both precursors for several classes of hormone-like structures known as eicosanoids and docosanoids. Eicosanoids and docosanoids synthesized from EPA and DHA produce the products PGE-3 (prostaglandin), LTB-5 (leukotriene) and TXA-3 (thromboxane), which are primarily responsible for the positive heart and anti-inflammatory properties associated with omega-3 fatty acids. DHA is also the most abundant PUFA in the brain and retina where it comprises 40% of the PUFAs in the brain and 60% of the PUFAs in the retina. Among many other functions In the body, DHA modulates the carrier-mediated transport of choline (methyl donor for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine), glycine (amino acid) and taurine (amino acid derivative) and the response of rhodopsin (pigment that allows for night vision), which is contained in the rod cells of the eye. By incorporating omega-3 fatty acids into the diet, the composition of most membranes will adapt to some extent to the type of fat available, modifying the synthesis of hormone-like substances, thus, aiding in heart, brain and joint health.