  An Articles Archive      We have heard and read a lot of
discussion about our need for omegs-3 fatty acids in our diet,
but very little of the discussion seems to center around which
one is really an essential fatty acid (meaning that our body
cannot make it).  According to George Eisman, a registered
dietician, the study of fatty acids is complicated, but the only
two fatty acids that are truly essential for everyone are:
linoleic acid (18:2, n−6), an omega-6 fatty acid; and alpha-
linolenic acid (18:3, n−3), an omega-3 fatty acid, both of which
are found in flax seed. The human body appears to be able to
make any other necessary fatty acids from other fatty acids
within the body.  Thus, the only omega-3 fatty acid that we need
to eat in our diet is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is found
in plant foods such as flax seed.  It seems that every day we
see a promotion for consuming fish oil to get the necessary
omega-3 fatty acids that our body needs; but over the past
decade, we have seen these claims chal