Myth # 20 : " But I need to eat animals to get my DHA ."
Myth # 20 : " But I need to eat animals to get my DHA ."
For those who don ’ t already know , DHA is a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid that plays an important role in human brain and eye function . While the commonheld myth assumes that humans must get their DHA from animal flesh ( primarily fish ), this is actually not the case – with ample amounts of DHA being found in flax seeds , chia seeds , canola oil , walnuts and most dark leafy greens .
On top of that good news , it turns out that DHA is not an essential fatty acid at all . In fact , the only two essential fatty acids the human body cannot do without are omega-3 alpha linolenic acid ( ALA – which the human body actually uses to produce its own supply of DHA ) and omega-6 linoleic acid . And as it turns out , the only lifeforms that create these two fatty acids are plants , and as such ( quite logically ) it is from plants – not animals – that we humans should be getting them .
Current status of this Myth : Dismissed Justification it provides for eating animals : NONE
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