You may not realize it right now, but your body craves Omega-3. Fat is something that many individuals try to avoid on a daily basis because they believe that eating it will cause them to gain weight. Yes, in all honesty, some fats will cause you to expand your waistline. Like, if you’re eating cheeseburgers on the daily. However, on another note, it is important that you realize that not all fats are created equal.
You see, there are healthy fats your body craves in order to be able to survive properly. Take Omega-3 fatty acids as an example – this is one of the most essential nutrients.
Studies have indicated that when you have low Omega-3 levels, you’ve increased your chances of death. Here’s another scary fact for you – many people fail to consume enough Omega-3 fats, making Omega-3 deficiency amongst the biggest killers in the U.S.
Before we tell you 10 reasons you need Omega 3 in your diet, let’s take a look at the different types of Omega-3s …
DHA and EPA
Those are the two main types of Omega-3 fats. DHA and EPA can normally be found in fish and other animal-based foods. DHA and EPA are well known, so you’ve probably heard of those before. ALA is a third type of Omega-3 that isn’t as common as DHA and EPA – this can be found in foods such as chia seeds, flaxseed and hemp seeds.
While all Omega-3s are important, DHA and EPA are the two that are the most beneficial. Mind you, this doesn’t mean eating foods that are ALA-rich isn’t going to help you, though. In fact, your body converts ALA into DHA and EPA, but in a low ratio.
10 Reasons You Need Omega 3 in Your Diet
1 – Improves Children’s Learning Ability
Omega-3 fats are beneficial to children – along with behavioral and mood issues, Omega-3s are also linked to children’s learning ability. When a child has low DHA levels, they are more likely to have poor reading skills as well as poor memory.
2 – Helps Cholesterol Levels
Omega-3s are beneficial to the heart – one of the reasons is because they help lower bad cholesterol levels as well as fats in the blood. Along with lowering fat and bad cholesterol levels, Omega-3s may also increase good cholesterol levels.
3 – Helps Fight Diabetes
Individuals that have diabetes usually have low HDL levels and high triglyceride levels. Omega-3 can help even out these levels, which is a major benefit for those that are suffering from diabetes. In addition to this, Omega-3 can help lower apoproteins. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes and you would like to try Omega-3 supplements, it is important that you speak with your doctor beforehand.
4 – Helps Reduce Depression
Did you know Omega-3s can also help reduce depression? By getting the proper amount of Omega-3s in your diet, you can reduce the level of anxiety and depression – these fatty acids act like antidepressants. Along with this, it can also help reduce various mental ailments, such as bipolar disorder.
5 – Helps to Remedy ADHD
Children that have ADHD will more than likely have low levels of Omega-3s. In one study, scientists examined 100 boys. During their research, they found that those boys that had lower levels of Omega-3s had more behavioral and learning problems than those who had normal Omega-3 levels.
6 – Heart Health
Numerous studies have been conducted that indicate Omega-3 fats being beneficial to the heart. The American Heart Association has stated that by consuming the proper amount of Omega-3s, you can reduce fatty plaques that are inside artery walls and lower high blood pressure. Omega-3 can also help decrease the risk of stroke, heart attacks and abnormal heartbeats.
One Italian Study took 11,324 heart attack survivors and monitored them closely. During this time, they found that those individuals that started taking Omega-3 supplements had reduced their risk of another stroke or heart attack. Then, in America, researched studied a different group of men. During this time, they found that those who consumed fish at least one time a week lowered their risk of dying from a heart related disease by 50 percent than those who ate fish less than one time a month.
The question is – how much fish should you consume in order to receive these heart health benefits? Many doctors have stated that eating only two servings of fish on a weekly basis will help lower your risk of stroke by up to 50 percent. However, as with most things, there is a thing as eating too much Omega-3s, so you shouldn’t eat fish for every single meal.
7 – Helps with Digestion
Indigestion, bloating, and gas …those are painful and sometimes, embarrassing to deal with. One out of 25-45 million Americans suffers from Irritable Bowel Syndrome. If you are suffering from IBS, then you may want to look into eating foods that are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Numerous studies have indicated that by including Omega-3s in your diet, it can relieve the symptoms of IBS.
Omega-3s have also been proven effective when it comes to fighting inflammation, so it can also help with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn disease and two types of IBD.
8 – Helps Ease the Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis causes inflammation in the joints and is hard to deal with. Omega-3s probably won’t help with slowing down the progression of this form of arthritis, but there are studies out there that suggest it can help with the symptoms. Omega-3’s hold the key to reduce the inflammation. So, Omega-3 can be used to help ease that morning stiffness and joint pain.
9 – Helps with Various Skin Disorders
Many people turn to the drugstore in order to find beauty products to make their skin look better. When you have blemishes, what do you do? You look for a good cleanser or cream, right? What if we told you that the best place to find your beauty products was your local grocery store? That’s correct! The secret to healthier, better looking skin is all about what you eat.
If you have a diet rich in Omega-3s, it can help reduce signs and symptoms of eczema, acne and psoriasis. This is because Omega-3s help reduce inflammation, which just so happens to be the underlying cause of various skin conditions. Even if you have flawless skin, you should still introduce Omega-3s into your diet as it can help to strengthen your skin cells.
10 – Reduces Your Risk of Cancer
Researches have stated that by eating foods that are rich in Omega-3 fats, you can reduce the risk of getting breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer. Why? Because Omega-3s suppress inflammation, which is a regent for certain forms of cancers. Along with decreasing your risk of developing cancer, Omega-3s may also be used by cancer patients in order to prevent worsening.
A List of Omega-3 Foods
Now that you have read 10 reasons you need Omega-3 in your diet, you see how important that are for your health. Here’s the problem, though – there are many people out there that aren’t getting enough Omega-3s in their diet. Your body isn’t able to produce Omega-3 fats on its own. The only way for your body to get Omega-3 is to eat foods that are rich in Omega-3s or to take a fish oil supplement.
Here’s a list of top Omega-3 foods:
- Sardines
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Anchovies
- Trout
- Tuna
- Herring
- White Fish
- Hemp Seeds
- Flax Seeds
- Chia Seeds
- Egg Yolks
- Spinach
- Kale
- Brussels Sprouts
- Walnuts
- Watercress
- Natto
If you don’t like these foods and can’t tolerate them, you can take a daily fish oil supplement. The amount you take should be based on the amount of DHA and EPA in it and not the total amount of fish oil. For proper dosing, you can speak with your primary care physician or follow the directions on the label.
Incorporating Omega 3 Into Your Life Today & Long Term
Well we have reached the pinnacle of our report on Omega 3 and I want to congratulate you for making it this far. In this final part we will be looking at how to incorporate Omega 3 into your life starting today and for the long term
Looking at all of these benefits of Omega-3, we could understand why you would want to incorporate it into your life immediately and long term. Flaxseeds, walnuts, fish, olive oil, beans and winter squash are great choices, by the way as they contain large sources of Omega-3 fats.
Flaxseeds and Walnuts
Flaxseeds and walnuts are at the top of our list for increasing Omega-3s. One-quarter cup of walnuts contains 2.7 grams of Omega-3 fatty acids, while One-quarter cup of flaxseeds contains around 6.3 grams. By combining one-quarter cup of walnuts with a tablespoon of flaxseeds, you will get close to the recommended 4 grams of Omega-3 fats.
Beans
Don’t worry, walnuts and flaxseeds aren’t your only choice for Omega-3s. One cup of navy beans, soybeans, or kidney beans will give you between 200 and 1,000 milligrams of Omega-3s.
Winter Squash, Fish and Olive Oil
There are three other types of foods that are important to mention as Omega-3 boosters. Those are fish, squash and olive oil. With fish, you’ll get at least 1.3 grams from every 4 ounce serving of Chinook salmon and a little over 1.4 grams from sardines. Whereas, a cup of winter squash will give you around 0.2 grams Extra virgin olive oil, on another note, per ounce of omega 3s will come up to about 0.1 grams.
