Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Potential Sources in the Malaysian Diet with the Goal Towards Achieving Recommended Nutrient Intakes

Omega-3 fatty acid nutrition is widely recognised as essential to health and general well-being. However, health professionals and the general public in Malaysia may lack knowledge on the sources or the amounts of these essential fat components in foods. This paper attempts to correct this scenario by identifying the potential sources of omega-3 fatty acids [a-linolenic acid (ALA), or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] in the Malaysian diet and calculating the amounts of these “nutrients” provided per serving of a wide variety of foods. The information generated provides Malaysian health professionals and consumers with options in food choices or meal planning with the goal towards achieving the recommended nutrient intakes for omega3 fatty acids. The findings in the present study revealed that the potential sources of omega-3 fatty acids in the Malaysian diet in decreasing order are: edible oils (ALA), fish and fish products (EPA+DHA), vegetables (ALA), meat and eggs (EPA+DHA), and milk/milk products (EPA+DHA). Edible oils which are exceptionally high in ALA such as flaxseed oil and perilla oil are presently unavailable at local retail outlets and supermarkets. However, consumers can still meet the recommended nutrient intakes (RNIs) for omega-3 fatty acids of 0.3 to 1.2% energy (equivalent to 0.67g-2.67g) by choosing a wellbalanced diet prepared preferably with a cooking oil blend containing ALA, and one or more servings daily from at least three of the following food groups: (i) fish (“jelawat”, “siakap”, sardines, tuna, mackerel, salmon)/ seafoods (shrimps, crab)/meat, (ii) vegetables/soybean/ soybean-based products/ beans and peas, (iii) omega-3 enriched/fortified foods (eg. “omega-3 eggs”), and (iv) ready-to-drink omega-3 milk preparations/soybean milk. omega-6, omega-3 and omega-9 fatty acids. Of these, the omega-6 linoleic acid (LA: 18:2, n-6) and the omega-3 a-linolenic acid (ALA: 18:3, n-3) cannot be synthesised by the body and are known as essential fatty acids (EFAs). These EFAs are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) with LA being abundant in common PUFA-rich vegetable oils such as corn oil, soybean oil and sunflower oil. There are three major omega 3 fatty acids that are ingested in foods and used by the body, namely ALA (18:3, n-3), EPA (20:5,n-3), and DHA (22:6, n-3). Once consumed, the body metabolises ALA to the longer-chain EPA and DHA, the two types of omega-3 fatty acids more readily used by the body (British Nutrition Foundation, 1992). Scientific research indicates that omega-3 fatty acids can either reduce risk or help attenuate the following conditions: heart disease (Dyerberg et al., 1978) or sudden cardiac death (Albert et al., 1998), hypertriglyceridaemia (Davidson et al., 1997; Covington, 2004), hypertension (Andreassen et al., 1997), inflammation (Calder, 2001), and rheumatoid arthritis (Nordstrom et al., 1995; Volker et al., 2000). In addition, EPA and DHA are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be particularly important for early development of visual acuity and cognitive function (Birch et al., 2000; Hoffman et al., 2003). Therefore, it would be prudent to consume sufficient amounts of these omega-3 fatty acids in order to maintain the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio at 5 to 10 as recommended (IOM, 2002; WHO, 2003; NCCFN, 2005). Apart from the traditional sources of dietary omega-3 fatty acids such as fish oil and vegetable oils (eg. flaxseed oil, canola oil and soybean oil), there have emerged in the local food chain, products enriched with the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA. How much of these omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids do we need? Over the past two decades, recommendations by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the intake of LA, which is also the main EFA, have changed in pendulum-fashion from 7% energy (WHO, 1990) to a very high 10% energy four years later (WHO/FAO, 1994), and then lowered to 58% energy a decade later (WHO, 2003). The only consistent recommendation concerning PUFAs seems to be that the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio should be between 5 and 10. The rationale for the recommended high intakes of LA, the major cholesterollowering dietary component, is that this PUFA would counter the cholesterolraising effects of the dietary C12-16 saturated fatty acids (lauric, myristic and palmitic acids) [WHO/FAO, 1994]. However, this high recommendation of LA in the diet has posed two “problems” with regard to the local diet. Firstly, dietary levels of LA of 5% energy and above can only be achieved with diets prepared with a cooking oil (pure or blended) adequately-rich in LA. Secondly, the high intakes of LA would mean that it would be very difficult for the normal diet to provide sufficient amounts of omega-3 fatty acids to maintain the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio between 5 and 10, even with a varied and balanced diet. In cognisance of the above, the Technical Committee for Malaysian Dietary Guidelines has considered the WHO 1990 recommendation of 3 to 7% energy PUFA (LA) as appropriate and has recommended these levels of dietary LA for the Malaysian population (NCCFN, 1999). The same Committee, in updating the Malaysian recommended dietary allowances published by Teoh (1975) 30 years ago, has advocated this range of LA intake with corresponding dietary omega3 fatty acid levels at 0.3-1.2% energy in the publication “Recommended Nutrient Intakes for Malaysia” (NCCFN, 2005). This range takes care of the basic EFA (as LA) needs of 3% energy, as well as increased LA requirements of 4.5% energy and 7% 182 Ng TKW