Nutrition News

Benefits of DHA & EPA

Omega 3’s are what is referred to as essential fats. They are deemed essential as your body either cannot produce them and/or cannot produce enough of them to support your body’s needs. Therefore you must get them from your diet. The three essential Omega 3’s are alpha linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). ALA is found only in plants. Common sources of ALA are flax, flax seed and chai. Although an essential Omega 3 it does not carry with it the same level of health benefits as DHA and EPA. DHA and EPA come from fish sources only. Small cold-water fish have the highest concentrations of EPA and DHA (anchovies, sardines, and mackerel) but they are found in most seafood. DHA and EPA are key nutrients in brain (central nervous system) and cardiovascular health. Therefore in order to maintain optimal health it is important to consume these as part of our regular diet. Since most people do not consume enough fish in their diet to supply healthy levels of EPA and DHA we need to supplement our diet with these in order to maintain our health.

Benefits of Vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a multi faceted role in our bodies. Besides being a key factor in maintaining healthy bones it plays an important role in many other areas of our metabolism that are necessary to maintaining good health and preventing disease. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk of numerous ailments such as osteoporosis, depression, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. Excellent sources of vitamin D are fatty fish and dairy products. Our bodies naturally synthesize Vitamin D in the skin when exposed to sunlight. Over the last few years research has identified that the majority of the population is vitamin D deficient. Especially in northern climates where there is limited sun exposure during the winter months. Therefore most of the population should supplement their diet with a vitamin D supplement.

Benefits of Calcium

Calcium is well known for playing a key role in the maintenance of strong bones. Adequate intake of calcium in combination with vitamin D throughout our life helps in the development of strong bones and helps prevent osteoporosis later in life. It also plays a key role in muscular contractions and the healthy function of our heart. Dairy products are an excellent source of calcium but it can also be found in lesser amounts in dark green vegetables such as broccoli.