Protein and carbohydrates typically take most of the playing time in conversations about nutrition. That doesn’t mean healthy fats are any less important though.
In fact, essential fatty acids (EFAs) play a vital role in supporting overall health, increasing nutrient absorption and the proper development of the brain and nervous system, all of which are important to hockey players. “Essential” refers to the fact that our bodies cannot produce these fatty acids on their own. They must be obtained through diet or as a second option, through supplementation.
Omega-3s and Omega-6s, when in balance with one another, work together in blood clotting, immunity and inflammation. Omega-3s are found in flaxseeds, flax oil, walnuts, hemp and dark leafy greens as well as fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines and are often low in a young athlete’s diet. Omega-6s, or polyunsaturated fatty acids, are consumed in overload in a traditional American diet containing cookies, crackers, fast food and sweets that contain palm, soybean, rapseed and sunflower oil.
Consuming too many Omega-6s in processed foods and grain-fed meats and not enough Omega-3s from fatty fish and whole foods is presenting an issue in heart and brain disease. Taking in more high-quality Omega-3s and less highly processed Omega-6s is a powerful nutrition intervention for health and performance.