SubscribeSeven Simple Ways to Eat More Omega 3
Despite the various controversies surrounding nutrition - Omega 3 fatty acids are one of the few nutrients where everyone seems to be in agreement.
Omega 3 EFA's (Essential Fatty Acids) are essential because our body is unable to manufacture them.
Food manufacturers are now 'fortifying' a number of different processed food products with Omega 3. However it's possible to easily meet your Omega 3 needs from basic whole foods.
A huge shout out to fat loss expert Tom Venuto for creating this list:
- Eat fatty fish at least twice per week and even daily if practical and economical for you. If not, you could supplement with fish oil (1.5-3 grams of combined DHA/EPA daily)
- Omega 6 fatty acids are also essential, but most people have an unbalanced omega 3 to omega 6 ratio. This can be remedied by increasing the omega 3 consumption and or reducing the omega 6 consumption (by decreasing intake of processed foods, refined grains, and supermarket cooking oils, with the exception of extra virgin olive oil)
- Grind up flaxseeds and sprinkle them on salads or add them to oatmeal, protein shakes or morning cereals. Alternately, supplement with flaxseed oil; 1 tbsp is equivalent to 3 tbsp flaxseeds (use as a supplement; Not for cooking)
- Snack on walnuts, which contain modest amounts of omega 3 fats (other types of nuts and seeds can also contain significant amounts of omega 3 fats)
- Increase your consumption of leafy greens which contain small amounts of omega 3 fats.
- If you eat red meat, try game meats or grass fed beef or bison. they dont have nearly the quantity of omega-3 as marine sources, but they are higher in omega-3 and have a better omega-3 to omega-6 ratio than conventionally raised and fed beef.
- Try omega-3 fortified eggs instead of regular eggs.
About that last one; back in the day I used to keep chickens. Some breeds (such as Araucana) laid eggs that were supposedly higher in Omega-3 - although some people see this as a myth.
Nowadays poultry farmers feed chickens more kelp meal and polyunsaturated fats in order to increase Omega 3 EFA's in the egg.
Kelp and other seaweeds also have some omega-3's.
ReplyOmega 3's are also good for arthritis sufferers! They have a slight anti-inflammatory effect that makes your joints feel better.
ReplyEat fatty fish at least twice per week and even daily if practical and economical for you. If not, you could supplement with fish oil (1.5-3 grams of combined DHA/EPA daily)
I would add a caution to this that women who are pregnant, are actively trying to get pregnant or nursing carefully weigh the risk-benefit of consuming that much fish, and if they do consume that much fish, choose wisely to reduce the risk of ingesting too much mercury and PCBs. Same holds true for children, who with lower body weight, cannot handle large assaults of heavy metals. In both women and children, fish oil is probably a much better choice. That doesn't mean don't eat fish - just choose wisely and know what you're eating!
ReplyI take fish oil pills to get all my omega 3's in because I just don't eat enough fatty fish to get it all. Tuna is high in mercury and salmon is very pricey by me (well, canned isn't, but I hate canned salmon). Interesting about leafy greens having omega 3's...I never knew that! Pretty cool. I eat a lot of spinach and olive oil, so I probably get enough omega 3.
ReplyUnfortunately the above info is a bit misleading - leafy greens have, at best, trace amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and that's if you eat A LOT of them. For example, three cups of raw spinach doesn't even register for omega-3 fatty acids....olive oil isn't a good source of omega-3 either - it's high monounsaturated and while it has some ALA, it's really more "trace" than a level you should rely on as a source of omega-3. The fish oil capsules are good though....although I usually recommend the liquid fish oil since it's easier to catch if it's rancid than the capsules.
ReplyInterestingly, the CSIRO in Australia has been able to develop plants that produce DHA, a healthy omega 3 oil component. Whilst commercialisation is still some time away, it will provide a useful alternative to people that don't have a high portion of fish in their diets.
ReplyI like the mention of consuming walnuts. I think many people really ignore many of the more healthful nuts such as walnuts and almonds in their natural unroasted states. Many people have even said of certain nuts as superfoods.
ReplyTom Venuto is one of my personal heroes. I used his Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle program to drop about 20 pounds of fat while preserving all of my lean mass. Do yourself a favor, and buy his book. Better yet, visit my blog and click Tom's book cover in the left nav. bar.
ReplyI like the recommendation about eating walnuts. Those along with a bunch of other nuts are so good for you and have a lot of disease fighting ingredients.
ReplyIt seems as though eating fish or taking fish oil pills is the best source to increase omega 3's in a diet. However, I am allergic to fish so, I'm uncomfortable taking fish oil pills. Does any one have some good suggestions on how else I can increase the amount of omega 3's in my diet that has the same effects as a fish product? Thanks :)
ReplyI've learned that many people are using Omega-3 fish oil gelcaps as a nutritional supplement for optimal mood, eye, brain, and joint function. I've used the brand Ultramarine Omega-3 Virgin Salmon Oil gelcaps and found them to benefit me on many levels. I know that the company Nu-Gen Nutrition at http://www.nu-gen.com sells the Ultramarine Omega-3 gelcaps.
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