There are two families of essential fatty acids, the Omega 3 series and the Omega 6 series. Both are known to be vitally important for health and it is essential that both are present in our diets since our bodies are unable to produce them from other nutrients (hence the term essential). The Omega 3 and Omega 6 ‘families’ each have a ‘parent’ fatty acid from which our bodies can construct other members of the family. Nutritionists increasingly focus on the intake of the two parent fatty acids, linoleic acid (Omega 6) and alpha-linolenic acid (Omega 3) since modern foods can be low in these nutrients as a result of processing, storage and cooking. There is growing scientific rationale for the use of essential fatty acid supplements for a range of inflammatory disorders.