Functional Fatty Acids

摘要

News about fatty acids has evolved from the negative to the positive. Media focus on the evils of trans fatty acids is shifting to the benefits of specific fatty acids, mostly the omega-3 fatty acids. Not only do these ingredients provide benefits across a span of health conditions, they also provide these benefits to people across a range of ages, from infants to the elderly. Omega-3s received a recent boost in consumer awareness with both the Food and Drug Administration's 2004 qualified heart-health claim and the newly revised 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Dietary Guidelines recognize that "limited evidence suggests an association between consumption of fatty acids in fish and reduced risks of mortality from cardiovas-cular disease for the general population." In addition, they recognize that there are other sources of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) that may provide similar cardiovascular benefits, but state that "more research is needed."