The Skinny on Fats
Eating a whole-foods plant-based (WFPB) diet is a healthy choice, but it does come with its own set of questions. For example, is it possible to get essential fatty acids (often associated with fish) on a WFPB diet? A closer examination reveals:
WFPB diets can still be rich in fatty acids.
Fish are often not as good a source of fatty acids as they are cracked up to be.
Good Fat vs. Bad Fat
One of the clearest health benefits of a WFPB diet is that plant foods tend to be low in fat. Low-fat diets come with perks like lower rates of:
heart disease
hypertension (high blood pressure)
obesity
diabetes
cancer
healthier cholesterol levels
longer life spans
That being said, two concepts are worth remembering:
Fat is not all bad.
Not all fat is bad.
Concept number one, fat is not all bad, is simple enough. Human beings need some dietary fat. It provides a good source of energy, keeps skin healthy, and helps the body absorb vitamins, among other benefits.
Concept number two, not all fat is bad, requires more explanation. Saturated fat has negative health effects, but unsaturated fat has a number of health benefits.
Saturated fats are a type of dietary fat. They are called “saturated” because their carbon atoms are connected to as many hydrogen atoms as they can bond with. These fats are generally solids at room temperature, and mostly found in animal foods such as:
dairy (cream, cheese, ice cream, butter)
meats (beef, lamb, pork, poultry).
Unsaturated fats have fewer hydrogen atoms bound to carbon atoms. They are usually liquids at room temperature. Unsaturated fats provide a number of health benefits.
For example, they help the body establish healthy levels of “good” (HDL) cholesterol. HDL helps regulate blood pressure and prevent hypotension (low blood pressure).
EFAs in a Nutshell
One especially important type of unsaturated fats is the essential fatty acids (or EFAs). They get their name from the fact they can’t be produced by the human body. Instead, humans get them through food.
Essential fatty acids are vital for heart, nerve, and skin health. Other benefits include decreasing inflammation and preventing cancer.
Essential fatty acids can be further broken down into omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. Both of these EFAs must be taken in through diet.
Omega-6: It’s a Breeze
Omega-6 is pretty easy to get. It’s found in a variety of foods including:
vegetable oils like safflower and sunflower
legumes like soybeans and peanuts
cereal grains like corn
nuts and seeds like almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts.
Omega-3: It’s A Little Complicated
Omega-3 is a little more complicated than omega-6. First of all, it comes in three varieties. Second, it can be harder to find food that contains it.
The three forms of omega-3 are:
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
Docosahexaenoic acids (DHA)
Eicosapentaenoic (EPA)
The first type of omega-3, ALA can be found in a number of plant foods including:
grains like amaranth
veggies and greens like brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower
legumes like edamame and kidney beans
fatty vegetables like avocados and coconut
nuts and seeds like walnuts, pumpkin seeds, hempseed, flaxseeds, chia, and cocoa.
The other forms of omega-3, EPA and DHA, are where things get trickier. There are fewer food sources that contain them, especially plant-based ones. Though good plant-based sources of EPA and DHA are rarer, they do exist. Algae and seaweed are excellent sources of both.
Even though EPA and DHA can be harder to find, the body has (kind of) a solution. When the ALA form is eaten, it gets converted into EPA and then DHA. On the downside, the conversion process from ALA to DHA to EPA isn’t very efficient.
When you eat ALA, you won’t end up with the same amount of EPA and DHA. Some of the EFAs get lost in translation. To make sure you’re getting enough EPA and DHA, eat foods that contain fats already in EPA and DHA form.
Quality Over Quantity
When it comes to omega fatty acids, quantity isn’t the most important thing. The ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 being eaten is more important than the amount being eaten.
Omega-3 and 6 should ideally be consumed in a ratio of about 4 : 1. In other words, you should be getting four times as much omega-3 as omega-6 . Unfortunately, the current Standard American Diet results in the opposite. People eat too much omega-6 and not enough omega-3.
Instead of increasing omega-3 intake, another way to get the most out of EFAs is to limit omega-6 intake. You can do this by consuming foods high in omega-6, such as vegetable oils, in moderation.
Something’s Fishy
The idea of fish as a good source of healthy fats is, at this point, common knowledge. A less common piece of knowledge is the fact that fish don’t produce these fats on their own. Instead, like humans, fish get EFAs through diet. Wild fish get omegas by eating algae, seaweed, or other fish.
Farmed fish don’t eat seaweed or fish like their wild counterparts. They’re given commercial feed often made from corn, soy, or other vegetable oils that are rich in omega-6, but poor in omega-3. As a result, these fish are higher in omega-6 than omega-3. In other words, the opposite of the ideal ratio of higher omega-3 to omega-6.
A better way to get EPA and DHA is to follow the fishes’ example and eat foods like seaweed and algae. You can also take algae-based omega-3 supplements.
Food for Thought
A WFPB diet can be a great move for your health. If you decide to ditch animal products, take the time to make sure you meet all your nutritional needs. One area that deserves a little attention is fats, more specifically the essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6. Though it may take a little planning, getting all the nutrients you need to thrive, including essential fatty acids, is perfectly doable on a plant-based diet.
Two solid methods for ensuring you get the fats you need to thrive are:
Including seaweed and algae in your diet, especially in the form of algae-based omega-3 supplements
Making sure to manage your intake of omega-6, so that it does not exceed your intake of omega-3.
A WFPB diet can be an excellent way to enjoy the benefits of healthy fats and feel your best. Want to learn more? Luckily, there are many resources on this topic. A good place to start are the references listed below!
References
Mayo Clinic. Dietary fat: Know which to choose. Mayoclinic.org. Published April 08, 2021. Accessed June 5, 2022. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fat/art-20045550
Dietary Fats. Heart.org. Updated Nov 1, 2021. Accessed June 5, 2022. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/dietary-fats#:~:text=Dietary%20fats%20are%20essential%20to,and%20produce%20important%20hormones%2C%20too
Types of Dietary Fats. Webmd.com. Updated August 18, 2020. Accessed June 5, 2022. https://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/types-fat-in-foods
Kris-Etherton, P ., Innis, S. Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: dietary fatty acids. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2007; 107(9):1599-611. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17936958/. Accessed June 5, 2022.
Kaur, N, Chugh, V, Gupta, A K. Essential fatty acids as functional components of foods- a review. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2014 Oct; 51(10): 2289–2303. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4190204/. Accessed June 5, 2022.
National Institutes of Health. Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Updated August 4, 2021. Accessed June 5, 2022. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-Consumer/.
Medical News Today. What are the best sources of omega-3? Updated January, 20 2020. Accessed June 5, 2022. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323144#fish-sources-of-omega-3.
Boersma, R E, Crawford, MA, Fokkema, RA, Muskiet, FA, Schaafsma, A. Is Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) Essential? Lessons from DHA Status Regulation, Our Ancient Diet, Epidemiology and Randomized Controlled Trials. The Journal of Nutrition. 2004; 134(1):183–186. https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/134/1/183/4688233. Accessed June 5, 2022.
Simopoulos, A P. The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2002; 56(8):365-79. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12442909/. Accessed June 5, 2022.
Rosenthal, E. Another Side of Tilapia, the Perfect Factory Fish. The New York Times. Published May 2, 2011. Accessed June 5, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/science/earth/02tilapia.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
