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Omega Mania
Nicole Meadow, MPN, RD, Founder of NutritionWise
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Want a little fish with your glass of milk? Or how about with your cup of pomegranate-blueberry juice? Practically every drink you reach for has fish oil or commonly called omega-3-fatty acids. Omega-3-fatty acids are touted as providing benefits for almost everyone and everything!
What are they? Omega-3 fatty acids are found in whole grains and fish. The Omega-3 found in plants (ALA) is converted to the form found in fish (EPA & DHA).
What do they do?
Visual-development: DHA, naturally found in breast milk and added to most infant formula appears to promote visual acuity. DHA should be included in your prenatal diet.
Brain development and function: studies suggest that Omega -3 fatty acids may help improve concentration, language development, apraxia and dyslexia.
Mood: Omega 3 fatty acids, especially EPA can be helpful in addressing depression.
Cardiovascular Health: Omega 3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of plaque formation and reduce triglycerides.
Autoimmune disorders: Omega 3 fatty acids appear to have some benefit for some people with Crohn's, psoriasis or multiple sclerosis
What foods have Omega 3 fatty acids: Fatty fish, flaxseed, canola oil & walnuts. Our diets are too low in Omega 3 fatty acids when compared to Omega 6, the fats found in vegetable oils such as corn oil. We should have about 2-4 times as much Omega-6- fatty acids as compared to Omega-3 oils, but our diets have 12-14 times more Omega-6 fatty acids, way too much!
How can I increase Omega 3 Fatty Acids in my diet?
1. Eat more fish! Remember though children and pregnant women should have 12 or less ounces per week. Look for those that are lower in mercury such as: Anchovies, calamari, catfish, chub, arctic cod, flounder, haddock, hake, herring, mackeral, mullet, perch, plaice, Pollock, salmon, sardines, scallop, pacific sole, tilapia, trout, whitefish.
2. When you buy tuna, look for "tongol" or "chunk" light tuna as it is lower in mercury then ahi or albacore tuna.
3. Eat non-fish sources such as nuts and flax but consider that our body needs to convert grain sources of omega 3 to the active form and that conversion is not very efficient. Omega 3 fatty acids in fish ARE the active form.
4. Take fish oil supplements. Make sure they are from a reputable company to assure they are free of toxins. How much? Recommendations should be individualized but generally about 550 mg for kids, 1000 mg for adults but amounts may vary depending on the individual's health concerns. If you are allergic to fish, have a pending surgery, take blood thinners or have any blood disorders, speak with your physician before taking fish oil supplements.
To learn more, check out Nicole's blog at NutritionWise.
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Posted by Fish Oil Supplements on 06/03 at 04:24 AM
This is a very good post. Fish oil supplements are very good for the human body. But one must be careful to see that they are extracted from the best oily fish from areas which are least contaminated. They should also be prepared by molecular distillation. Fish oil supplements are very good as they have the least contaminants.