The skinny (or should I say fatty?) on Omega 3 fatty acids

Good sources of Omega 3 fatty acids

Omega 3 essential fatty acids are one of the most needed nutrients for our body, yet most American's are deficient in them. They are referred to as 'essential' fatty acids because the body cannot make them on its own so we need to acquire them through an outside source, like our food. We receive a broad spectrum of benefits from them and it is well known that they are essential in brain development and function.  Also, they are anti-inflammatory which results in them lowering your risk of heart disease - the number 1 killer in America.

Omega 3's are known to protect against arthritis, cancer, dementia and depression. In children Omega 3's have been shown to reduce the effects of ADHD and improve concentration.

There are 3 different types of Omega 3 fatty. DHA and EPA, which are found in fish, have been studied most extensively and appear to have the greatest benefits. Salmon, mackerel, lake trout, sardines, anchovies and tuna are the fish with the most omega 3's. The other form, ALA, is found in chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts, dark leafy greens, and vegetable oils.

Although it is always best to get our nutrients from our food, it is hard to get the needed amount of omega 3's strictly from our food. The American Heart Association recommends eating at least 2 servings of fish per week, however we need to be careful of our fish intake (particularly larger fish like shark, king mackerel, and tilefish ) as they can be contaminated with mercury. To help protect against this you can remove the skin and fat prior to cooking fish.

In our house we take a fish oil supplement in addition to eating fish once or twice a week. You need to ensure you buy fish oil from an established company that certifies their products are free of heavy metals. I take Metagenics Brand now but have heard great things about Young Living's Omega Blue and will be ordering these when I am ready for my next bottle (contact me if you are interested in getting these as well when I place my order).

Nowadays the word is out about Omega 3's and you can find many items at the grocery store that claim to be high in them. Unless it is a nut or seed in its raw form, you want to be careful of anything that is in a package as there is a good chance it is a processed food. I recently learned that Omega 3 eggs are not a good option. To get the chickens to produce eggs that are high in Omega 3's, they feed them flaxseeds. However, chickens are not meant to eat this food so it makes them sick and their eggs are then of poor quality. I always try to get eggs that are from pastured chickens and get my Omega 3's from other food sources that are naturally a good source and not artificially designed.