We’ve heard often the term “essential fatty acids” or “essential amino acids” but what does the word “essential” really mean? Before I studied nutrition, I 
thought essential simply meant “important”. It doesn’t. Essential means that our bodies do not make it so we have to take it in the nutrient through our diets. So, essential fatty acids, such as omega 3’s and omega 6’s, are not produced by the body, which is why we need to eat sources of these (or take supplements) in order to gain the benefits.
The same holds true with amino acids. There are 12 non-essential amino acids. Our bodies make these. (I, of course, always thought that these weren’t as important. Not true.) However, we need to take in 8 essential amino acids in order for this to happen. This is why vegetarians and vegans have to be careful–if they don’t take in the 8 essential amnio acids, the body then can’t make the 12 non-essential ones.
So, the next time you hear the word “essential” buzzing around, you will now know what it really means.
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