linolenic acid
1
4.6
- noun
- /ˌlɪnəˈlɛnɪk ˈæsɪd/
- Specialized
:
ácido linolénico
- Salmon has pre-formed DHA, whereas walnuts have the precursor to DHA, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
- alpha-linolenic acid
- gamma-linolenic acid
- linolenic acid, or ALA
Examples
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So your health care provider may suggest incorporating more plant-based foods into your diet that contain alpha-linolenic acid, the short-chain omega-3 fatty acid.
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The three most important ones are alpha linolenic acid, which we also call Ala, which is found mainly in plant products, so nuts and seeds for example.
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Flaxseed is rich in alpha-linolenic acid, which is an essential omega-3 fatty acid important for heart health.
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Many plant oils, such as flax oil, provide high levels of alpha-linolenic acid, which supports a healthy diet.
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Including foods high in alpha-linolenic acid like walnuts and chia seeds can improve your nutritional intake of omega-3 fatty acids.
Synonyms
30
3.3
A long acid made of carbon and hydrogen atoms found in fats and oils
3
3.7
A healthy fat in fish and some plants that helps the heart
1
6.7
A type of healthy fat that your body needs, found in plant oils like flaxseed and canola
1
4.4
A type of fat in fish and some vegetable oils that can help your heart
A fat with double bonds in its carbon chain
Surface Forms
Morphology
linolenic + acid
The noun 'acid' transparently signals a chemical substance, so part of the meaning (that this is a type of acid) is clear to learners who know that word. However, 'linolenic' is a specialized, technical modifier with no obvious everyday morphemes or figurative sense for a B1 learner, so the specific identity (a particular polyunsaturated fatty acid) is not derivable without domain knowledge. Because the compositional category is clear but the modifier is technical and unpredictable, the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
The noun linolenic acid comes from words about plants and oil: lin from 'flax' and oleic from 'oil', because it was first found in flax oil. So the name helps you remember it is a plant oil fatty acid that is important in the diet.