ABSTRACT
Oils rich in the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha(α)-linolenic acid (ALA) are gaining increased attention because of anticipated health bene ts related to the cardioprotective effects of this fatty acid. Flax and perilla seed oils are the richest sources of ALA, followed by the seed oils of camelina, hempseed, canola, soy, red and black currants, sea buckthorn, lingonberry, blueberry, cranberry, cloud berry, raspberry, and walnut. Flaxseed or linseed (Linum usitatissimum, L., subspecies usitatissimum, Linaceae) has been used for food and industrial ber since ancient times (Vaisey-Genser and Morris, 2003). Flaxseed cultivation was reported to date back to around 9000-8000 BC in the Middle East; Turkey (van Zeiste, 1972), Iran (Hopf, 1983), Jordan (Rollefson et al., 1985), and Syria (Hillman, 1975; Hillman et al., 1989). Domestication of —axseed is dated back to 7000-4500 BC (Zohary and Hopf, 2000; Vaisey-Genser and Morris, 2003). About 2 million metric tons of —axseed
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 71 4.2 Metabolism of ALA ................................................................................................................ 72 4.3 ALA Conversion into Longer Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids ........................................ 74 4.4 ALA and Cardiovascular Disease ..........................................................................................77
