Omega 9 Fatty Acids and Their Health Benefits

 

What are they? Omega 9 fatty acids are from a family of unsaturated fats that commonly are found in vegetable and animal fats. This monounsaturated fat is described as omega 9 because the double bond is in the ninth position from the omega end. These fatty acids are also known has oleic acids or monounsaturated fats and can often be found in canola, sunflower, olive, and nut oils. Unlike omega 3 and omega-6 fatty acids, omega 9 fatty acids are produced by the body, but are also beneficial when they are obtained in food.

What are the types of omega 9 fatty acids?

Oleic acid – Oleic acid is a main component of canola oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, and other monounsaturated fats, many of which are used as a solution for reducing bad fats in cooking oils.

What are the sources of omega 9 fatty acids?

Oleic acid – Canola oil, Sunflower Oil, and Almonds Specially developed oils for foodservice, such as Omega 9 Canola and Sunflower Oils, are uniquely high in monounsaturated fats (>70 percent) and reduces key factors that contribute to heart disease and diabetes.

Omega 9 fatty acids are found in various animal and plant sources. Canola, sunflower, olive, and nut oils have significant levels of organic omega 9 fatty acids, which are also known as high-oleic acids, or monounsaturated fats. Oils produced from these sources have emerged as healthier, highly functional replacements for partially hydrogenated cooking oils, which are often laden with unhealthy trans and saturated fats

What are the health benefits of omega 9 fatty acids?

Research has shown that omega 9 fatty acids, commonly referred to as monounsaturated fatty acids, can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Because omega 9 fatty acids have been shown to increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol and decrease LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, they help eliminate plaque buildup in the arteries, which causes heart attack and stroke. Omega 9 Canola and Sunflower Oils are uniquely high in monounsaturated (omega 9) fat, as well as low in saturated fat and zero trans fat.

In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved a Qualified Health Claim for canola oil saying, “limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about 1 ½ tablespoons (19 grams) of canola oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the unsaturated fat content in canola oil. To achieve this possible benefit, canola oil is to replace a similar amount of saturate fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day.”