Add Omega-3 to Your Diet for Great Health

You might have heard of Omega-3 fats. This essential nutrient is not made by the body so it’s important to get it through food. Omega-3 is a healthy fat that in the nutrient realm that offers many health benefits. So let’s educate ourselves on it.

Health Benefits Offered by Omega-3

From the long list of omega-3 benefits, a few important ones are:

• Reduces the risk of heart disease.
• Helps control blood clotting
• Lowers the risk of cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.
• Protects against Alzheimer’s disease
• In infants it helps in brain, nerve and eye development.

What is Omega-3?

Omega-3 stands for omega 3 fatty acid. It is a combination of three fats, namely

• ALA (alpha-linolenic acid)
• EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)
• DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)

All of these three are important in one or another way. Let’s learn how to include them in the diet.

Getting EPA and DHA

The main sources of these two fats are fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, herring, sardines, trout, anchovies, and mackerel. Try the following tips to add variety to your diet:

• Grill salmon and use low sodium, low fat seasoning such as lemon juice or orange-ginger.
• Bake rainbow trout and make a wrap with mayonnaise, lettuce and grated cheese.
• Use sardines and anchovies as pizza toppings.
• Prepare tuna salad with diced apples, sliced grapes and walnuts for an extra crunchy treat.

Getting ALA

It’s found in flax seeds, walnuts, soybean, milk, egg, and margarine. Using vegetable oils such as flax seed, soybean and rapeseed (canola) is also a good source of getting ALA in the diet. Consuming Brussel sprouts and spinach is also a good way to increase your ALA intake. One can try the following ways to promote the intake of ALA:

• Use flax seeds and walnuts for garnishing food.
• Add walnuts to salads, yogurt or baked food.
• Try vegetable soup with soybean crunches.
• Add ground flax seeds and walnuts to oatmeal or cereals and use for cooking/baking.

Should I take Omega-3 Supplements?

If you are a vegetarian, you are missing EPA and DHA in the diet. Also, people who are always on the go find it difficult to get the necessary amounts of omega-3 fat into their diet. To overcome this loss, supplements are the safest bet. You can easily buy omega 3 supplements online. Search for an online retailer with a sound history and positive customer feedback. Learn about the supplement description and supplement facts before placing an order.