Functional Foods Fact Sheet: Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Background Research suggests that not all fats are created equal, particularly when it comes to heart health. In fact, various dietary fats or fatty acids can have different effects on blood lipids associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) such as HDL (“good”) cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and triglycerides. Trans fatty acids and high amounts of certain saturated fatty acids (SFA) in the diet tend to raise LDL cholesterol levels and increase CHD risk. In the context of moderate fat consumption, diets higher in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) generally decrease CHD risk because they can lower levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.