Many doctors who practice using natural health care feel that changing the type of fat and oil in an individual’s diet is perhaps the most important issue in health care. We now know just how terrible trans fats are for your health, but it wasn’t so long ago that cardiologists were advising patients to eat margarine (made with trans fats) instead of butter.

Avoiding trans fats and consuming omega-3 fatty acids benefits so many aspects of health. Consuming the right kind of oil can mitigate inflammation. Research the harm caused by trans fats, and that they promote inflammation. Research appearing in the Journal of Nutrition  (2005; 135(3):562-6), the Journal of Cardiac Failure (2005; 11(8):613-8), and  the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2004; 79(4):606-12) all support this. Omega-3 fatty acids, on the other hand are anti-inflammatory.

The benefit of omega-3 fatty acids to the heart, and the harm to the heart caused by trans fats is also very well researched. Research appearing in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005; 14(4):307-12), the Journal of Nutrition (2004; 134(4):874-9), the American Journal of Medicine (2002; 113 Suppl 9B:9S-12S), and the European Journal of Nutrition (2003; 42(4):188-94) are just a few of the research articles that support this idea.

Omega-3 fatty acids can help with cognition, the immune system, and the integrity of the endothelial lining. They are beneficial to patients of Crohn’s disease, asthma and may even be protective against cancer. Taking the time to read labels to avoid hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils (a source of trans fats), avoiding deep-fried foods, and consuming omega-3 fatty acids may well be one of the most important things you can do for your health.