Olive oil is the main source of fat in the Mediterranean diet. Fatty acids are an important part of this healthy ingredient.
Those of us who care about our health and that of our loved ones know that diet is the basis for maintaining it. In this article, I’m going to talk about a key ingredient for health that we can get from olive oil: Omega-3 fatty acids. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are the main ones.
Why are they called essential fatty acids? Precisely because our body (and that of our dogs) cannot manufacture them, so we must ingest them through our diet. They have different characteristics from other fatty acids as they don’t simply provide energy, but are biologically active and necessary for the proper functioning of the body.
What are the benefits of Omega-3?
Years ago, studies carried out at various universities (e.g. Harvard Medical School and Cambridge University) highlighted the numerous advantages that this essential acid provides to the body, which we will list below.
Healthy heart
This fatty acid helps dogs reduce cardiovascular problems. It also helps curb the risk of heart problems and keep blood pressure at healthy levels. If your dog is susceptible to heart disease, make sure you feed them a diet that includes Omega-3.
Cognitive function
Several studies suggest that Omega-3 fatty acids can positively affect cognitive and behavioural memory, as well as performance. In this sense, they’re said to improve agility and the recognition of family members.
On a similar note, studies are being carried out into their neuroprotective effect, which would slow down the onset of cognitive dysfunction syndrome, something similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans.
Weight control
Another evil of our society is overweight and obesity, which also affects our canine friends. The good news is that it can be prevented by following a balanced diet, such as the Mediterranean one. On this note, there’s yet another benefit of Omega-3 acid: it helps break down the fat inside the adipocytes, the cells that primarily compose adipose tissue. As a result, it can help reduce those extra few inches around our pet’s belly.
Anti-inflammatory properties
Chronic inflammation, a type of inflammation that lasts for weeks, monthsand even years, is the cause of most degenerative and inflammatory health problems that appear in dogs. This includes allergies, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, heart disease, liver or kidney disease, etc.
Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties, which means they can reduce inflammation in all these situations. They inhibit the effects of the chemicals that trigger inflammation and provide other benefits, such as increasing the ability to hold weight or reducing stiffness and joint pain.
Essential during pregnancy
During the end of pregnancy and lactation, bitches have special nutritional needs. Eating Omega-3 can improve their puppies’ neurological development, as well as the learning and memory skills of young dogs.
As we have seen, there are many benefits of providing a diet rich in virgin olive oil that contains Omega-3.