Chances are, you have heard the term "omega-3 fatty acids" and have probably also heard of "omega-6 fatty acids," but have you ever heard of omega-7s? Many consumers do a double-take when they see that name, thinking it may be a typo...but once you read this article, you'll know the value of omega-7s! Omega-7 is an often-overlooked nutrient that can benefit your health similarly to other unsaturated fats.
Although this nutrient is frequently overlooked and not as well-known as other important fatty acids, it still delivers such great health benefits that you might want to revamp your daily supplement routine to include it. Understanding the benefits of omega-7 fatty acids and how to obtain them can help you support your overall health and well-being.
What Is Omega-7?
Similar to other omega nutrients, omega-7 is a type of fatty acid found in the body that is a valuable source of energy and key nutrients, and provides important building blocks for your cells.
Unlike omega-3s, omega-7s can be created and synthesized by the body; therefore, omega-7s are often referred to as non-essential, but most of our diets don't contain ample amounts of sea buckthorn berries or daily macadamia nuts, so it is important to be sure to get a reliable source to reap the health benefits of this hidden treasure.
Omega-7 is found in small amounts in fatty fish like salmon and anchovies, too. If you aren't regularly eating wild-caught fatty fish, you may need to turn to the more common daily source of omega-7 for many people — supplements.
What Are the Benefits of Omega-7?
Just like other unsaturated fatty acids, omega-7 has several health benefits. Despite the need for further research surrounding this nutrient, there are some promising potential effects. By including omega-7 fatty acids into your diet, you may experience the following benefits.
Part of a Healthy Metabolic Response
Omega-7 has been shown in some studies to play a role in the body’s normal metabolic response. The most notable effect of omega-7 on the liver is its impact on the body’s hormones. Studies have shown promise that diets rich in omega-7 support the healthy production of normal hormones in the stomach and liver that signal to the body that you are full.
By supporting a healthy metabolic response, omega-7 promotes multiple other health benefits as well, namely by helping the normal messaging within the body that signals fullness. Consequently, other benefits include maintaining healthy levels of fat in the liver and supporting a healthy body weight.
Omega-7 fatty acids function as lipokines, which means they have hormone-like qualities in the body in order to connect important body tissues and support normal energy utilization and storage. Throughout this process, omega-7 plays a role in the normal metabolism of of fat and blood sugar, leading theoretically to less storage of these molecules in the body.
Promotes Healthy Skin
One of the excellent benefits of omega-7 fatty acids is their ability to support healthy skin, and in more ways than one. Most notably, omega-7 may help support overall skin health and integrity.
Omega-7 may also help support regular collagen synthesis and regeneration in the skin, helping to build up the skin’s structure, strength, and elasticity. Similarly, this fatty acid helps support healthy elastin generation as well, which is another protein that is important for the skin’s structure and appearance. Some people introducing a regular source of omega-7 into their supplement routine see a noticeable "glow" to their skin after a few weeks. That's a benefit anyone can enjoy!
With a consistent intake of omega-7 fatty acids, you may be able to enjoy healthy skin longer, even as you age.
How Can I Get More Omega-7s in My Diet?
If you are regularly taking an omega-3 supplement, like fish or krill oil, check the label carefully. There is a chance your current supplement may deliver some omega-7. However, that is not guaranteed to be the case, as some supplements, even fish and krill oil, may not contain any omega-7s at all, often providing you with a small guessing game.
In many ways, there is still a lot more information to gain about omega-7s. Since it makes up such a small portion of our daily fat intake, there is not much information out there compared to other more abundant nutrients.
However, the smaller body of research surrounding these nutrients also does not make them less important than other healthy fats. As a result, you should still aim to include them in your daily routine. Omega-7 fatty acids do not come with any adverse health risks, making them easy to include in your diet with peace of mind.
Although this nutrient is less commonly found than other fatty acids, supplements for omega-7s do still exist. These supplements are often in the form of the aforementioned sea buckthorn oil. You can also find this fatty acid in various food sources, including in salmon, cod, and anchovies as well as in oils like olive and macadamia oil.
Unfortunately, it can be hard to eat enough foods that actually contain omega-7s. On the bright side, when you decide to take an iwi life omega-3 supplement, you can take comfort in the fact that you are getting key omega-7 fatty acids in addition to the other beneficial fatty acids in the supplement.
Algae is an excellent source of both omega-3s and omega-7s. As a result, iwi life’s algae-based omega-3 supplements naturally contain considerable amounts of omega-7 fatty acids, providing even more potential benefits for heart health.
Start Incorporating Healthy Fatty Acids
Altogether, omega-7 is a valuable nutrient with several benefits that make it worth including it in your daily diet. In doing so, you can provide yourself with the chance to support your heart health, maintain healthy skin, and maintain healthy cholesterol levels already within the normal range. No matter how under the radar this valuable nutrient is, you can’t go wrong in including it in your daily nutrient intake.
For a surefire way to start obtaining omega-7 fatty acids in your diet, try iwi life. iwi life’s algae-based Omega-3 supplements are full of supplemental nutrients to support your overall health.
Shop our entire family of iwi life products to see all of the possible ways you can provide support to your health and well-being.
Sources:
Should I take omega-7 Fatty Acids If I Already Take Fish Oil? | ConsumerLab.com
Omega-7…promotes collagen synthesis through SIRT1 activation | Applied Biological Chemistry
Fact Sheet on Palmitoleic Acid (Omega-7) | Cancer Association of South Africa
