Active substances of functional food in the prevention of arteriosclerosis II

Birgit Schmitt, Alexander Ströhle, Brita M. Watkinson, Andreas Hahn, Hannover

Part 2: w -3 fatty acids – state of supply and recommended intake
To prevent cardiovascular diseases, the daily intake ofw -3 fatty acids, including the long-chainw -3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in particular, should be 1–2 g. Because of the insufficient conversion  ofalpha-linolenic acid into its derivatives EPA and DHA, increased consumption of vegetable oils containing muchalpha-linolenic acid is of limited use for meeting requirements.

The usual German consumption habits suggest an undersupply of about 1 g of EPA and DHA . Micro-encapsulated oils with a high content ofw -3 fatty acids added to food (‘functional food‘) could be a means of optimizing supply of the population. In many cases, however, the usual degrees of enrichment are not sufficient to produce a protective effect regarding cardiovascular diseases. Higher levels ofw -3 fatty acid enrichment in an increased number of food products are hence desirable. EU06/02

Keywords: w -3 fatty acids / prevention of arteriosclerosis / supply / recommend intake / functional food

Sie finden den Artikel in deutscher Sprache in Ernährungs-Umschau 06/02 ab Seite 223.