Sue Baumgardt says plant oils offer better protection for health than fish oils (Letters, October 28).
I have been studying omega fatty acids for two years so I assume she is talking about the omega 3 and omega 6 acids.
The highest omega 3 levels in plant oils are found in flax oil - this is called ALA.
However, in order for ALA to be functional in the body, it needs to be converted into EPA and DHA by the delta-6-destaurase enzyme.
It is well established that about 30 per cent of the population is deficient in this enzyme and this makes flax a poor source of the omega 3 fats.
Fish oils contain EPA and DHA in a form which requires no conversion.
It is also important to realise that the omega 6 fatty acids are a double-edged sword.
We need small amounts of omega 6 but excess - in the form of, say, evening primrose oil - can cause many more problems that it solves.
If your readers want to get the facts I suggest they read Fats That Heal: Fats That Kill by Udo Erasmus and The Omega RX Zone by Barry Sears.
-Simon J Boyd, Newhaven
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