What Is The Best Natural Source of Omega 3 Oils?
Michael Byrd
February 24, 2007
If you're eating a healthy diet that includes nuts, seeds, eggs, fish and whole grains, you're getting some natural omega 3s from you food.
But is it enough? And why do you need omega 3 anyway?
The omega 3 fatty acids are vital if you want good health. Your body uses them for brain function, the reduction of inflammation, pain and depression, healthy reproduction – including healthy pregnancies and babies, and the prevention of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
In fact, research has shown that without the long-chain omega 3 fatty acids, like DHA, our brains would never have developed their higher capacity intelligence. So, in other words, omega 3 is what separates us from our knuckle-walking, vine swinging ancestors.
Early forms of man lived on savannas. And, their diets included no long-chain fatty acids. This resulted in their decreased brain capacity.
However, once early man migrated to coastal areas and began eating oily fish from the ocean, there was an enormous leap in brain capacity. This is according to research published in the peer-review journal Lipids, Vol. 34:s39-s47.
As a result, we now have a greater ability to learn, reason, think, plan, organize and manipulate the world around us. And, here's what I find particularly interesting about all of this.
Our ancestors on the savanna were eating foods that provided the omega 3 fatty acid ALA, found in whole grains, nuts and seeds. But, in order to have optimum brain development, they also needed to add the other fatty acids, like EPA, DPA and DHA, which are found in fatty fish.
Now in theory, the body can convert ALA into the long-chain omega 3 fatty acids like EPA and DHA. But, in actuality, it's extremely difficult for the body to do. And, even when it does happen, the amounts produced are too small to have any significant effect.
What gets in the way of the body making this conversation? Since it's such a fragile process, things like diet, digestion, age, gender and lifestyle all can have a negative effect. On average only about 2% of the ALA consumed ever gets converted to EPA and almost none gets converted to DHA.
And since the brain needs DHA, if you're counting on ALA to provide all you need, your brain is going without.
The only way you can make up for the missing DHA is to make sure your diet contains high quality omega 3 sources that contain the important pre-formed long-chain omega 3s. You can easily do this by eating more fatty fish or by taking a daily fish oil supplement.
Now a diet that includes nuts, eggs, whole grains and seeds is definitely healthy. But just don't count on those food sources for your omega 3s. You also need to include oily fish like salmon, tuna, sardines, anchovies, herring and mackerel.
Scientists have reported that 5 or more servings a week of fish high in omega 3 fatty acids (650mg to 800mg daily) will reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and many other illnesses.
Just take a look at the Japanese population. It's estimated that the average person in Japan consumes between 1500 mg to 2000 mg of fish oil a day. And the result? They have a much lower incidence of depression and heart disease than anywhere else in the world.
Now most Americans would find it extremely difficult to eat that much fish in a day. But I have good news for you. It's been proven that you can get the same great results from supplementing your diet with high quality, pure fish oil supplements.
Additional Fish Oil Resources:
Fish Oil Benefits
Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil
But is it enough? And why do you need omega 3 anyway?
The omega 3 fatty acids are vital if you want good health. Your body uses them for brain function, the reduction of inflammation, pain and depression, healthy reproduction – including healthy pregnancies and babies, and the prevention of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
In fact, research has shown that without the long-chain omega 3 fatty acids, like DHA, our brains would never have developed their higher capacity intelligence. So, in other words, omega 3 is what separates us from our knuckle-walking, vine swinging ancestors.
Early forms of man lived on savannas. And, their diets included no long-chain fatty acids. This resulted in their decreased brain capacity.
However, once early man migrated to coastal areas and began eating oily fish from the ocean, there was an enormous leap in brain capacity. This is according to research published in the peer-review journal Lipids, Vol. 34:s39-s47.
As a result, we now have a greater ability to learn, reason, think, plan, organize and manipulate the world around us. And, here's what I find particularly interesting about all of this.
Our ancestors on the savanna were eating foods that provided the omega 3 fatty acid ALA, found in whole grains, nuts and seeds. But, in order to have optimum brain development, they also needed to add the other fatty acids, like EPA, DPA and DHA, which are found in fatty fish.
Now in theory, the body can convert ALA into the long-chain omega 3 fatty acids like EPA and DHA. But, in actuality, it's extremely difficult for the body to do. And, even when it does happen, the amounts produced are too small to have any significant effect.
What gets in the way of the body making this conversation? Since it's such a fragile process, things like diet, digestion, age, gender and lifestyle all can have a negative effect. On average only about 2% of the ALA consumed ever gets converted to EPA and almost none gets converted to DHA.
And since the brain needs DHA, if you're counting on ALA to provide all you need, your brain is going without.
The only way you can make up for the missing DHA is to make sure your diet contains high quality omega 3 sources that contain the important pre-formed long-chain omega 3s. You can easily do this by eating more fatty fish or by taking a daily fish oil supplement.
Now a diet that includes nuts, eggs, whole grains and seeds is definitely healthy. But just don't count on those food sources for your omega 3s. You also need to include oily fish like salmon, tuna, sardines, anchovies, herring and mackerel.
Scientists have reported that 5 or more servings a week of fish high in omega 3 fatty acids (650mg to 800mg daily) will reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and many other illnesses.
Just take a look at the Japanese population. It's estimated that the average person in Japan consumes between 1500 mg to 2000 mg of fish oil a day. And the result? They have a much lower incidence of depression and heart disease than anywhere else in the world.
Now most Americans would find it extremely difficult to eat that much fish in a day. But I have good news for you. It's been proven that you can get the same great results from supplementing your diet with high quality, pure fish oil supplements.
Additional Fish Oil Resources:
Fish Oil Benefits
Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil
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