What are Essential Fatty Acids and Can You Get Them Without Eating Fish?

Last week I talked extensively about getting enough protein as a vegetarian. Protein is essentially a building block of our entire being so guarding against a deficiency is key. And the same goes for essential fatty acids, they are, wait for it…essential to our health. I am constantly ensuring that I get enough. But what exactly are essential fatty acids and what do they do for the body?

Essential fatty acids are often associated with the regular consumption of fish like salmon and tuna. But for a vegetarian not so keen on contributing to an over fishing problem or eating an animal in the first place, fish are out of the question. Not to mention that the fattier fish are often higher on the food chain, which means they can have higher levels of mercury. But can you get ample essential fatty acids without them?