Certain Fatty Acids are an essential part of any well-balanced diet. Saturated and monounsaturated fats aren’t necessary in a vegetarian diet as your body can manufacture these on its own. However, there are two polyunsaturated fatty acids - linoleic acid (omega 6) and linolenic acid (omega 3) - that can’t be manufactured by your body. 

These must be provided in the diet because research increasingly indicates that omega 6 and omega 3 fats are helpful in preventing heart disease, cancer, immune system deficiencies, and arthritis.

The good news is that they are both readily available in vegetarian plant foods.  Omega 6 is found in many vegetable oils like corn oil, safflower oil, and sesame oil.  Omega 3 is found in flax, walnuts, avocados, and almonds, and in olive oil and canola oil. 

Healthy fats and oils are important to every stage of the body’s healing, building, and maintenance processes. In fact, for an active person, they are as important as amino acids, minerals, and vitamins. These fats and oils provide strength to cell membranes, remove toxic substances from sensitive tissue, and help convert light and sound into nerve impulses.

Here’s just one sample vegetarian menu that shows how easy it can be for the essential fatty acids to be a part of your everyday vegetarian diet.

Breakfast:
1 bagel with 2 tsp of vegan margarine, 1 medium orange, 1 cup of Cheerios cereal, and 1 cup of soy milk

Lunch:
Hummus sandwich made with 3/4 cup chickpeas and 2 teaspoons tahini sandwich spread (made from ground sesame seeds) with  3 slices of tomato and 1/2 sliced avocado, on 2 slices of whole wheat bread

Dinner:
1 cup of cooked pasta with 1/4 cup marinara sauce, 1 cup cooked broccoli, 1/3 cup carrot sticks, and 1 whole wheat roll

Snack:
1/2 cup almonds, and 1 cup of soy milk