>3. and we should use flax to get the Om-3 balance right.
>this is the most incoherent of all. there is no DHA or EPA in flax. fish
>flesh and liver oils do the job perfectly.

Hi Andrew;

But according to the flax fact sheet at URL below, ALA is converted to two
main long-chain fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA), so flax, rich in ALA leads indirectly, to DHA and EPA
production. Therefore it doesn't really matter if those two nutrients are
not in flax.

http://www.flaxcouncil.ca/pdf/meta.pdf

"Fatty Acid Profile of Flaxseed

Flaxseed contains a mix of fatty acids. It is high in
polyunsaturated fatty acids (73%), moderate in
monounsaturated fatty acids (18%), and low in saturated
fatty acids (9%). The saturated fat level of flaxseed is
similar to that of canola. Flaxseed is a rich plant source
of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid in
the human diet and the parent fatty acid of the omega-3
family, as shown in Figure 1. ALA is converted to two
main long-chain fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in a series of
enzymatic reactions (below). ALA has been shown to
modulate eicosanoid synthesis,2 and its concentration
in breast milk exceeds that of DHA, suggesting a
particular requirement for ALA by infants.3, 4 "

Marilyn