Omega-7 is an essential fatty acid that exists naturally in salmon and other fish. New research shows that the Omega-7 in these foods may help lower the risk of heart disease even more than fish oil.
Food With Omega 7
Omega 7 is an unsaturated fatty acid that has a range of health benefits. Unsaturated fats, with the exception of omega 3s and omega 6s, are also known as non-essential fatty acids. That’s because they aren’t needed in our diet for survival but can be beneficial to health when consumed by humans or animals. The body synthesizes non-essential fatty acids on its own.
Palmitoleic acid is one of the acids that make up the omega 7 group. It is one of the most common omega 7s and has many possible health benefits .
Benefits Of Palmitoleic Acid
The human body can produce palmitoleic acid. This omega 7 fatty acid is found in your tissue and liver. But research has found that there may be benefits of ingesting dietary palmitoleic acid .
Here are the potential benefits of palmitoleic acid:
May Support Heart Health
Palmitoleic acids have been shown in studies to be associated with an improved ratio of LDL-cholesterol: HDL cholesterol, which is linked to a lower risk for cardiovascular disease.. Palmitoleics also increased the amount of both omega-18s as well as oleic and linolenic acids in blood plasma. However, this remains controversial as other studies have had conflicting results.
Supports Insulin Sensitivity
Palmitoleic acid may prevent the breakdown of insulin and help it work more effectively (4). In addition, palmitoleic acid may support blood sugar control by preventing spikes in glucose levels and reducing inflammation that contributes to type II diabetes. It is also associated with an increase in the sensitivity of muscle cells that respond to insulin. Again, studies have found conflicting results in this area so it is far from completely understood.
Reduces Inflammation And Swelling
Palmitoleic acid may help reduce inflammation-causing molecules called cytokines. Palmitoleic acid has also been seen in mice to promote a molecule that reduces the production of cytokines. This helps stop chronic inflammation and swelling . Palmitoles produce an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin when applied topically to prevent dermatitis from occurring or worsening.
Improves Satiety
Satiety is the feeling you get after eating a meal and not having any hunger pangs for a certain period of time. Palmitoleic acid may be able to help control appetite by activating cholecystokinin receptors on your brain cells and increasing the levels of the satiety hormone cholecystokinin (12). This benefit could potentially help people with health problems that have trouble controlling their weight or appetite, like diabetes or obesity.
May Support Skin Health
Omega 7 acids inhibit inflammation and may promote collagen synthesis through the activation of Silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1). The accumulation of excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a result of oxidative stress accelerates skin aging. In-vitro studies show that omega 7 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties and promote collagen regeneration in the presence of hydrogen peroxide cytotoxicity. This slows the aging process and promotes skin health.
What Foods Contain Omega 7 Fatty Acids?
Eating foods high in Omega 7 gives you the beneficial properties of palmitoleic acids. Here is an omega 7 foods list for you to use in improving your diet.
Fatty Fish
Fish like salmon, herring, and mackerel are good sources of omega 7 fatty acids. Studies associate a higher fish intake with slower cognitive decline and a reduced risk for Alzheimer’s. Omega-fatty acids, which are plentiful in oily fish like salmon and mackerel, may help reduce inflammation throughout the body.
Fish is an excellent source of omega-three fatty acids for overall health as well. The benefits include helping with arthritis pain by reducing joint inflammation; lowering triglycerides (blood fats); improving heart function; lowering blood pressure; protecting against stroke and depression.
Sea Buckthorn
Sea buckthorn is a plant that grows in the Himalayas and is one of the omega 7 rich foods. It’s also a rich source of vitamin C, calcium, iron, carotene, and flavonoids that boost immunity.
Sea buckthorn juice combined with fresh lime juice is said to be good for health issues including:
- high blood pressure,
- diabetes mellitus type II,
- chronic inflammation of the lungs or skin (dermatitis herpetiformis),
- psoriasis of the scalp,
- peptic ulcers in adults,
- other diseases caused by oxidative stress.
Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is one of the best natural sources of omega-seven, as well as vitamin E. Avocados contain about three grams of monounsaturated fat per 100grams and are a good source for other essential nutrients including beta carotene, niacin, riboflavin, and folate.
Consuming avocados can lead to weight loss due to their high levels of fiber which slows digestion speed leading to fuller stomachs with smaller meals. This in turn causes less food consumption throughout the day. In addition, avocado oil contains heart-healthy fats such as oleic acid and palmitoleic acid which help reduce cholesterol levels for lowering risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease.
Macadamia Nuts And Oil
Macadamia nuts and oil are some of the foods with omega 7 . According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, macadamia nut oil is one of your best sources of omega fats. Of all oils, it has the highest proportion of omega-7 fatty acids. This oil also contains alpha-linolenic acid, omega-12 fatty acids, and omega-13.
Macadamia nuts contain about 40% of the total fat content as oleic and 80% of the fats are monounsaturated fats. They also have a reasonably large amount of polyunsaturated fats, but they don’t require any cooking to break down their natural antioxidants which is why many people like them raw.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is a staple of the Mediterranean diet, which has been shown to improve longevity and reduce chronic diseases. It’s rich in omega-seven fatty acids, so it also helps you maintain your weight by enhancing metabolism. In fact, some studies have found that people who follow a Mediterranean diet (which involves consuming olive oil every day) may be at lower risk for obesity than those who don’t .
Some oils such as corn or soybean are high in polyunsaturated fats but contain little to no healthful monounsaturated fat like olive oil does; others such as coconut oil provide beneficial nutrients but are high in saturated fat (which may raise cholesterol levels). Olive oil offers all these benefits plus its versatility makes it an excellent choice for cooking.
Olive oil is also rich in antioxidants, which offer strong protection against heart disease and cancer as well as many other chronic diseases . Eating a diet high in these fatty acids has been shown to lower levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) while increasing good cholesterol (HDL).
What are the Benefits of Omega-7?
Many of us know that omega-3 fatty acids are terrific for cardiovascular health, but there’s a “new” omega in town that’s been surging in popularity: omega-7 fatty acids.
Studies show that a type of omega-7 called palmitoleic acid offers a wide range of health benefits, ranging from heart to skin health support to maintaining already-healthy blood sugar levels, encouraging a healthy inflammatory response and more!
So how can you make sure you’re getting enough of this healthy fat, and should you take an omega-7 supplement? Let’s dive in!
What is omega-7?
Like omega-3, omega-7 is a type of fatty acid. These subunits or “building blocks” of the fat in our bodies and the foods we eat help us efficiently absorb nutrients like vitamins from our diet, help maintain our metabolism, and keep us energized. Supplementing with omega-7 fatty acids is an excellent way to complement the heart-friendly benefits of fatty acids, like omega-3s EPA and DHA.
Palmitoleic acid is the most abundant type of omega-7 fatty acids; it’s present in tissues throughout the body, particularly the liver. Emerging research reveals this monounsaturated fatty acid offers many health-promoting benefits.
In fact, omega-7 caught researchers’ attention when it showed its ability to act as a hormone in the body and help support healthy metabolism, meaning that it’s a lipokine. This means omega-7 can detach from fatty tissue and have a positive metabolic effect on organs, benefiting the skin, heart and mucous membranes.
Above all else, it gets top marks for its ability to inhibit inflammation to support whole-body health.
What does omega-7 do for you?
There are five specific ways omega-7 can benefit your health:
5 omega-7 benefits
1. Healthy from head-to-toe
Research links healthy serum levels of omega-7 with supporting healthy C-reactive protein levels and promoting a healthy inflammatory response. Omega-7 helps support digestion, liver health and overall health at a cellular level.
2. Heart-healthy fatty acid
Clinical research shows omega-7 supports a healthy heart by maintaining already-healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Studies also show that eating more omega-7-rich foods or supplementing with palmitoleic acid is associated with supporting already-healthy lipoprotein—HDL “the good cholesterol” and LDL “the bad cholesterol”—blood levels.
3. Boosts collagen production
Omega-7 promotes collagen production, an essential protein for healthy skin, hair and nails.
4. Healthy weight
In preclinical studies, omega-7 was shown to influence healthy fat metabolism and inhibit the size of fat cells and amount of overall fat. Studies also show omega-7 promotes healthy fat metabolism, prompting the body to use it for energy production. This healthy fat also encourages already-healthy blood sugar levels and promotes feelings of satiety—which are vital components of healthy weight management.
5. Eye comfort
In a preclinical study, subjects who took omega-7-rich sea buckthorn pulp oil orally encouraged healthy eye lubrication and tear production.
Omega-3 vs. Omega-7
Omega-3 and omega-7 are both fatty acids, but they aren’t quite the same. So, what’s the difference?
Both omega-3 and omega-7 are beneficial to the body, but in somewhat different ways. Omega-3 benefits the heart, brain and joints, and omega-7 is well-known for supporting a healthy response to inflammation.
Where do the numbers “3” and “7” come from? Fatty acids consist of a straight chain of carbon and hydrogen atoms attached by single or double (rarely triple) bonds. The number next to the fatty acid’s name, like omega-3 or omega-7, shows where the saturation occurs within the chain. Omega-3 fatty acids have double bonds three carbon atoms from the end of the chain. And, you guessed it! Omega-7s have a double bond seven carbon atoms from the end of the chain.
Another difference is that omega-3 fatty acids have three double bonds, making them polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs). Omega-7s only have one double bond, so they are monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs).
Is omega-7 a fish oil?
The term “fish oil” is used interchangeably with omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA, which are well-known for their brain and heart benefits. You can’t really use the words “fish oil” in place of omega-7, though. That’s because while you’ll find omega-7 fatty acids in some fish oils, they are not the same as the omega-3s.
However, omega-7 does complement omega-3 benefits. So, it’s a good idea to take them both together as part of your supplement plan.
What is the best source of omega-7?
Your body can make omega-7 fatty acids from other nutrients. That’s why it’s essential to have balanced and nutrient-rich meals. You’ll find omega-7s in fatty foods like:
- Salmon
- Anchovies
- Macadamia nuts
- Avocados
- Sea buckthorn
If it’s not feasible for you to consume enough fish, or if macadamia nuts aren’t your thing, then speaking with your healthcare provider can help you find ways to complement your lifestyle choices and ensure you’re getting omega-7 benefits.
Omega-7 Fatty Acids for Glowing Skin and Radiant Health
Most people these days have heard of the health benefits of consuming omega-3 fatty acids, found in flax seeds, walnuts and cold water fish, such as salmon. Recently, omega-7 fatty acids have taken centre stage as a beneficial addition to our health.
Omega-7 is a monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) containing palmitoleic acid; this fat is also made by the body, therefore it is not classified as essential. There are food sources for omega-7, such as macadamia nuts and the sea buckthorn plant. Sea buckthorn in particular is receiving a lot of attention lately as a beneficial food with health benefits.
Sea buckthorn is an ancient shrub with high levels of omega-7 used for centuries as a healing food in Tibet, India and China. There are many products today containing sea buckthorn seed and fruit oil, including face creams, serums and capsules for internal use. Here are some of the claims for this “newly” discovered phenomenon.
Weight management
Dr. Oz praises the “miracle berry” as an aid for weight loss. Preliminary animal studies have shown that the palmitoleic acid contained in sea buckthorn berries will signal the body to stop storing unnecessary fat.
Skin benefits
Sea buckthorn oils have been used in China and Russia to treat skin disorders for a long time. A study published in 2000 in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry on skin dermatitis showed promising results for the fatty acid composition of the skin after four months with topical use of sea buckthorn oil. Omega-7 is present in the epithelial cell membrane of sea buckthorn, and taking a supplement with this fatty acid may help the skin appear more supple and smooth. Beautiful skin starts on the inside, but the omega-7 fatty acid may help internally as well. Omega-7 may help maintain the integrity of the cell walls for people with inflammatory bowel diseases or other issues with the gastrointestinal tract.
Cholesterol levels
Another study published in 2000, explored the benefits of adding macadamia nuts (a good source of palmitoleic acid) to the diet. The results point towards the beneficial effects of palmitoleic acid on cholesterol levels compared to eating the typical American diet.
Insulin resistance
Diabetic mice administered palmitoleic acid saw an improvement in their hyperglycemia due to improved insulin sensitivity.
Although most of the studies are done on animals and they are in the preliminary stages, there are some positive results that may help people especially with the abovementioned issues. For instance, people with inflammatory bowel diseases, diabetes or skin disorders may want to investigate the benefits of omega-7 further.