Why the Fuss about Omega-3?
Whether you listen to television
advertisements, study food product labels or simply glance
through your junk mail, it seems like everyone is spouting
the benefits of having Omega-3s in your daily diet. Most of
us know that fish have Omega-3 in abundance, but how much do
we have to eat to get the maximum health benefits? How do we
get that benefit if we hate fish or are vegetarians? Let’s
take a minute and go over the basic facts of
Omega-3.
What are Omega-3s?
They are essential fatty acids
(EFAS). They are essential to human health but cannot be manufactured by
the body. We
must obtain them from food. Omega-3 fatty acids are
polyunsaturated fatty acids that play a key role in brain
function and normal body growth and development. There are
three main types of omega-3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic
acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA). Our bodies use mostly EPA and DHA, but the ALA
that we consume is normally converted by the body to either
EPA or DHA. People with either diabetes or schizophrenia may
not be able to convert ALA to EPA or
DHA.
Why are Omega-3s Important?
Research has shown that Omega-3
fatty acids reduce inflammation and help prevent risk
factors associated with heart disease, cancer and
arthritis.
Omega-3 fatty acids are concentrated in the brain and are
especially important for brain memory and performance.
Research suggests that Omega-3 fatty acids are helpful in
treating problems such as high cholesterol, high blood
pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, depression, schizophrenia,
attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), eating
disorders, burns, skin disorders, inflammatory bowel disease
(IBD), asthma, macular degeneration, menstrual pain, colon
cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer. More uses are
being researched.
Consumption of both Omega-3 and
Omega-6 fatty acids are important for maintaining good
health but the two need to be in balance. The typical modern
American diet shows us eating as much as 25 times more
Omega-6 fatty acids than Omega-3 fatty acids. A healthy diet
should have us eating roughly 2-4 times more Omega-6 than
Omega-3.
Omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation and Omega-3
fatty acids help reduce it. The current imbalance in our
diets may be a significant factor in the rising rate of
inflammatory disorders in the United
States.
What foods are high in Omega-3 fatty
acids?
A partial list includes: cold water
fish such as halibut, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines
and tuna contain EPA and DHA; chia, flaxseed, flaxseed oil,
canola oil, soybeans, soybean oil, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin
seed oil, walnuts and walnut oil contain ALA; grass-fed beef
has a mix of ALA, EPA and DHA.
Nutritionists often recommend
eating two or more servings of fish per week, but you need
to be careful which fish you eat. Mercury contamination in
wild fish is a concern, but cold water fish are considered
safer. Farmed
fish, where mercury levels can be monitored, are not always
fed a diet that yields the highest levels of omega-3 fatty
acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids from plants are
good for fish haters. Chia and flaxseed can be
added to salads and oatmeal for easy
consumption.
A helping of walnuts and pumpkin seeds makes a healthy
snack. Your challenge is to make sure you eat organic
plant foods as often as possible to avoid
pesticides.
Grass-fed beef has become an
increasingly popular source of omega-3 fatty
acids.
Grain-fed beef has a higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 than
grass-fed beef does. Grain-fed beef is about 6
to 1 and grass-fed beef is about 2 to 1. Grass-fed beef has
many health benefits but it is more expensive and the taste
does not always appeal to someone used to grain-fed beef.
What about using supplements to get more
Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet?
Fish oil and flaxseed oil capsules
are popular substitutes for those who want to increase their
intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Supplements are convenient
and easily added to your diet. If you choose to use them,
satisfy yourself that you are buying a quality product
without contaminants.
Consult your healthcare professional for
advice.
Omega-3 fatty acids clearly provide health
benefits for us, but how we absorb them safely and
effectively is a challenge. Eating too much fish might
increase our chances of getting mercury
poisoning.
That’s bad for all of us but especially bad for pregnant
women and children. Supplements sometimes
interact badly with medications. Talk to your doctor to see
what’s best for you.
Del Vogel, June 24, 2009
Sources:
Daley, C.A., Abbott, A., Doyle, P., Nader,
G., and Larson, S. College of Agriculture, California
State University, Chico. University of California
Cooperative Extension Service. Last Updated: January 18,
2007. A Literature
Review of the Value-Added Nutrients found in Grass-fed
Beef Products.
www.csuchico.edu/agr/grassfedbeef/health-benefits/index.html
.
Fuller, Janet Rausa (3/8/2006). Grass-fed beef:
It’s what’s good for you? Chicago Sun Times
Hawkins, Ernest B., MS, BSPharm, RPh, Health
Education Resources; and Ehrlich, Steven D., N.M.D, private
practice specializing in complementary and alternative
medicine, Phoenix, AZ. Reviewed last on 5/1/2007. Omega-3 fatty acids.
University of Maryland Medical Center website
at http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-3-000316.htm.
Williams, Dr. David G. (March 2008). The Aztec
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