Diet experts advise that we should eat fewer saturated fats, and more ‘good fats’ or mono-unsaturated fats from olive oil and polyunsaturated fats from vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and seafood. For one thing, heart health is better when these healthier fats replace saturated fats. Seafood, particularly oil-rich fish, contains a combination of long-chain polyunsaturated fats: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These are thought to confer special health benefits not seen with nuts and seeds.
It’s also vital to gain the right dietary balance between Omega-6 and Omega-3 fats. Our dietary ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 has shifted dramatically from 2:1 to around seven times more Omega-6 than Omega-3 today. This is down to eating too many Omega-6 fats from spread and vegetable oils, and too few Omega-3 fats from nuts, seeds and seafood. Increasing your consumption of seafood is a great way to redress the balance.