Amazing Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

These fatty acids also fight depression, diabetes, and obesity

What is Omega 3?

Omega 3 is a polyunsaturated fat. Among its most recognized benefits is the protection of cardiovascular and cerebral health.

 

What Is It Used For?

It has three types of fatty acids (ALA, EPA, and DHA) called essential, because the body cannot produce them. When the cell membranes are full of these acids, cell functions occur in a much better way.

 

It also acts in a component of neurons and in the covering of the ocular retina, the part of the eyes that has the power to carry out the process of seeing.

 

Benefits of Omega 3

• Good for the heart: EPA regulates the activity of blood platelets, preventing blood clots, which can lead to a stroke or heart attack, and also reduces the levels of triglycerides. DHA helps prevent cardiac arrhythmias by stabilizing the electrical activity in the heart.

• Lowers cholesterol: These fatty acids modify the chemical composition of the blood, increasing levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and lowering levels of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol).

• Regulates blood pressure: Omega 3 is able to prevent the formation of fatty plaques on the wall of the arteries, avoiding the risk of diseases such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes.

• Good for vision: This fatty acid is essential for vision because it participates in the coating of the retina, the part of the eye capable of performing the process of seeing.

• Good for the brain: Omega 3 provides improved cognitive performance, brain activity, and communication between brain cells.

• Fight’s depression: The intake of omega-3 improves the fluidity of the membranes that enclose nerve cells and increases the production of several neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenalin, thus improving mood and well-being.

• Relieves the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis: The consumption of omega 3 contributes to the relief of the symptoms of this disease because it has anti-inflammatory action.

• Omega 3 and diabetes: A research conducted by the University of Valencia in Spain found that the consumption of fish, which is rich in omega 3, is associated with lower incidence of type 2 diabetes and decreased glucose concentration.

• Omega 3 and obesity: Omega 3 helps in the fight against obesity due to its anti-inflammatory action, because obesity is a process that causes inflammation.

Omega 3 And Pregnancy

Omega 3 is very beneficial for pregnant women. A study conducted by the University of Kansas Medical Center in the United States revealed that the fatty acid helps women have stronger babies and reduce the incidence of premature births. In addition, other research shows that omega-3 consumption in the last trimester of pregnancy and the first months of breastfeeding increases the IQ of babies.

The guidance for pregnant women is to ingest omega 3 through food. Eating cold-water fish, such as salmon and sardines, two or three times a week and including oilseeds, such as walnuts, in the snacks between the main meals are great options.

The supplementation with fatty acid is only recommended in case the pregnant woman cannot eat foods rich in this nutrient. However, it is necessary to be very careful and seek the advice of a health professional when taking these supplements. An early phase study conducted with rats by scholars from the Medical College of Georgia, USA, and the Agharkar Research Institute, India, observed that fetuses and pups were sensitive to excess omega-3 and that this negatively affected the brain development of the animals.

How Much Omega-3 To Consume

The recommended daily amount of omega 3 is controversial. Although the American Heart Society guides up to 4 grams a day, it is precisely this portion that in some studies leads to health complications. Therefore, other experts advocate serving up to 1 g of omega-3 a day.

Foods’s Rich in Omega 3

The foods that have the highest amount of omega 3, DHA and EPA, are cold-water fish. This is because as they live in a cold environment, they tend to accumulate more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, especially omega 3.

 

Check out the species that have the best amounts of the fatty acid and see what percentage of the daily value and the amount that a 100-gram serving of fish carries of omega-3.

 

Fish	Quantity of Omega 3	Percent Daily of Omega 3
Herring	1.2 to 3.1 grams	215%
Sardines	1.5 to 2.5 grams	275%
Salmon	1 to 1.4 grams	120%
Tuna	0.5 to 1.6 grams	90%
Codfish	0.2 to 0.3 grams	25%
Flounder	0.2 to 0.3 grams	25%
Hake	0.2 to 0.3 grams	25%

 

Soybean and canola oils, walnuts, and the seeds chia and flaxseed are rich in omega-3s, in this case alpha-linolenic acid. The recommended daily amount of flaxseed, 10 grams, has 0.54 grams of the fatty acid. Chia also has good amounts of omega-3s.

 

It is important to remember that only a small amount of alpha-linolenic acid is converted into DHA or EPA, so it is important to consume fish as well in order to have good amounts of omega-3.

Omega-3 Supplements

Omega-3 supplements should be consumed only after medical advice and are recommended if the person cannot get the fatty acid through food, with the ingestion of fish and seafood.

It is necessary to pay attention to the fraudulent capsules, because nowadays many of them do not contain omega-3. One way to ensure this is to consume cod liver oil, which is usually avoided because of its unpleasant taste, but this is exactly what will ensure that it is rich in the fatty acid. A word of caution: it contains a lot of vitamin A and may be contraindicated in some cases.

Combining Omega 3

Omega 3 + vitamin E: Combining foods rich in omega 3, such as fish, with foods rich in vitamin E is a good idea. This is because these fatty acids oxidize very easily, losing their properties. The best sources of vitamin E are palm oil, peanuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, avocados, and leafy greens like spinach and kale.

Contraindications and Risks of The Supplement

The supplement is contraindicated for people with coagulation problems, such as those with hemophilia, because there is a risk of hemorrhage as the fatty acid makes the blood more fluid.

People with heart prostheses should also avoid its consumption. As for pregnant women, supplementation can be done, but only with the correct doses, because the excess of omega-3 can cause problems in the fetus.

Similar Nutrients to Omega-3

There are no similar nutrients to omega-3, but there is another polyunsaturated fatty acid that is also very important for the body. It is omega-6, which like omega-3 is an important component of cell membranes.

Besides this, omega 6 helps in healing, acts on immunity, attenuates hair loss, and even increases the burning of body fat. However, in excess, this substance can increase inflammatory processes.

To avoid this problem, it is important to have a balance in the consumption of omega-6 and omega-3. Unfortunately, since omega-6 can be easily found in food, especially in vegetable oils (canola, soy, cotton, corn), people find it difficult to balance the consumption of the two omegas.

Omega 9 is a monounsaturated fat that is present in extra virgin olive oil, olives, avocados, sesame, and some oilseeds. It has an anti-inflammatory action as strong as omega-3.

Balance Between Omega 3 And 6

The current concern has been about the proportion of consumption between omega-6 and omega-3 fats, because the balance between these two types of fatty acids provides a protective metabolic effect to the body. The exaggerated consumption of omega-6 compared to omega-3 is seen as extremely harmful to human health, mainly because it is related to the onset of heart disease and cancer. In the modern diet there is a large supply of industrialized foods and refined oils, and a low consumption of foods of plant origin and fish and seafood.

The values suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO) for a good balance between the amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 in the diet is a ratio of (5:1). Proportions above this recommendation, with more omega 6, is not interesting, because the excess of this acid has a pro-inflammatory character. Researchers estimate that the current ratio is 20:1 or 30:1.

In order to meet these values, researchers Simopoulos and Robinson have published guidelines that can be found in the Seven-Step Omega Dietary Guide. However, they must be associated with a well-planned diet.

• Choose foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as oily fish (salmon, tuna, trout, herring, and mackerel), walnuts, flaxseed, and green vegetables.
• Use monounsaturated oils, such as olive oil and avocado oil.
• Eat seven or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
• Eat more plant proteins, including peas, beans, and nuts.
• Avoid fatty meats and high-fat dairy products due to the presence of saturated fat.
• Avoid omega 6 rich oils such as: corn, canola, safflower, sunflower, soybean and cotton.
• Reduce trans-fat intake by eliminating the following products: margarine, vegetable fat, pastry preparations, fried foods, snacks, and processed foods.

How to Preserve the Nutrient?

When consuming fish, it is important that it be sautéed, grilled, or baked. Frying this food is not interesting, because it drastically reduces the amount of omega-3.

To get the omega-3 from flaxseed, it is necessary to grind it, because the fatty acid is inside a cellulose cover. However, by breaking this cover, a very sensitive oil is exposed. So, the orientation is to grind the whole amount of the bag with the seeds, put the powder in a frosted plastic container with a lid and store it in the freezer. Thus, the food is protected from light, oxygen, and high temperature, preventing oxidation from occurring. This procedure is very important, because if it is not done and the fat from the ground food oxidizes, this can be very harmful to your health.