n-3 fatty acids from vegetable oils.
Principal food sources of the n-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid are salad and cooking oil, salad dressing, shortening, margarine, and food-service fat and oil products made from canola oil or soybean oil. Using food production data provided by US trade associations and by Statistics Canada, I estimated the per capita availability of alpha-linolenic acid from vegetable-oil products in the United States to be approximately 1.2 g/d and in Canada, approximately 2 g/d. The higher alpha-linolenic acid availability in Canada is largely accounted for by widespread use of canola oil there. Considering also contributions to dietary alpha-linolenic acid of other foods such as nuts, dairy products, and vegetables, it would appear that total intake of alpha-linolenic acid in US and Canadian diets adequately exceeds the reported nutritional requirement. Emerging research has suggested possible health benefits associated with modest increases in dietary alpha-linolenic acid, including reduced blood-clotting tendency and reduced blood pressure.
Hunter
J E
JE
Procter & Gamble Company, Winton Hill Technical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45224-1703.
D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008042:Linolenic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000032:analysis*; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid
D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D008042:Linolenic Acids; D010938:Plant Oils; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid