Essential unsaturated fatty acids (EUFAs): biological role, dietary sources, and health implications of deficiency in the human body
Katarzyna Mazur
2026-03-18
4 min. read
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In contemporary society, the fats consumed exhibit diverse nutritional properties and varied effects on human physiological processes. Several decades ago, there was a prevailing belief that fats represented a harmful component of daily nutrition, leading to their systematic exclusion from dietary regimens. Nevertheless, scientific advancements have since demonstrated that specific lipid fractions—particularly essential unsaturated fatty acids (EUFAs)—play pivotal metabolic, hormonal, and structural roles, rendering them an indispensable component of a balanced diet that supports optimal health outcomes.
NNKT what is this?
They are essential unsaturated fatty acids (NFCs). They are exogenous compounds that we have to deliver to the body along with food because the human body can't synthesize them. Their effects on the body are invaluable because they support the nervous system and the brain, they facilitate weight loss, they have anti-depressant effects, they also affect the appearance of the skin, the skin and the hair, and they also reduce the pre-menstrual needs of the body. NFCs belong to two families of omega-3 fats: alpha-3, omega-6 fats and omega-6 fatty fats.
NNKT is the source
It's very important to include adequate amounts of NNKT in your diet because, as mentioned above, these acids aren't synthesized in your body. They have to be supplied entirely with food. So where can we find them? The best source of omega-6s in the diet is vegetable oils. We can add corn oil, grape seed, soybean, soy sauce, red pepper. A valuable source of Omega-6s is also seaweed, soy, sesame, pistachio, almonds, and most nuts.
NNKT Effects of shortages
The results of the study suggest that even a small deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids in the daily diet can contribute to the suppression of the psychomotor development of people. They have also shown that those who receive adequate amounts of DHA also perform better on the IQ tests, their brain tests faster than the organs in which they live. One study found that a lack of Omega-3 may lead to premature onset of cancer, but GLA-6 is not enough. However, it has been suggested that patients who receive an adequate dose of omega-6 fatty acid in the blood should also do better on IQ tests.