What is an essential nutrient?
EPA, DHA and ALA are considered essential nutrients. An essential nutrient is one that your body cannot make on its own and must be obtained directly from your diet. When you think about it, digestion is really a matter of chemically tearing large food molecules into tiny fragments which are small enough to be transported into your bloodstream. Once inside your body, these so-called “building blocks” are rearranged like pieces of a puzzle to create new larger molecules (proteins, carbohydrates, fats) which your body can then use for energy, growth, and repair. Your liver is pretty smart at making just about everything you need from these basic building blocks, but there are over 40 nutrients that your body cannot manufacture on its own. They must come directly from your diet – from food or supplements. Thus, the term “essential nutrient.” Three of these essential nutrients are the Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA, DHA and ALA. Why are Omega-3 fatty acids important? The main reason is the preve
