You may have heard of omega-3s before, but what exactly are they? Omega-3s are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid that play a key role in keeping you healthy. Let’s break down what that means.
While many people may hear the word “fat” and immediately think of it as a negative, we actually need fat in our diet to function at our best. Fat has a number of roles in our body including providing energy, maintaining body temperature, and protecting our organs. There are three main types of fat: unsaturated, saturated, and trans fat. Unsaturated fat can be thought of as the healthy type of fat that we want to include in our diet. There are two types of these healthy fats that you will want to look for on a nutrition facts label: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. Omega-3s fall under the polyunsaturated category. On the other hand, saturated and trans fats are the kind we want to limit or avoid as they are associated with negative health outcomes such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
Omega-3 fatty acids have many important functions in the body. Eating them provides energy for the body to perform its daily tasks and activities. They also help make up cell membranes which are the structures that provide support to the cells of our body. Additionally, they are involved in the production of hormones that regulate blood clotting, heart contractions, and inflammation. Overall, they are especially important to the health of the cardiovascular (heart) and nervous (brain) systems. Specifically, omega-3s can help lower triglyceride levels which reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke. They may also raise “good” cholesterol and lower blood pressure. In terms of brain health, they help keep our minds “sharp”. They can help lower your risk of brain-related illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. There may also be positive mental health effects as a diet high in omega-3s can help prevent conditions like depression.
Omega-3s are an essential nutrient, meaning they cannot be produced by the body. As a result, we need to consume omega-3s in our diet to meet our needs. Adult females should consume about 1.1 grams of omega-3s per day while adult males need about 1.6 grams. For reference, 1 tablespoon of canola oil provides about 1.3 grams of omega-3s. It should be noted that it is better to try and get omega-3s from food instead of buying expensive supplements. If you want to purchase supplements of any kind, make sure to consult with your physician before doing so.
Foods rich in omega-3s include the following: fish (such as salmon, mackerel, herring, tuna, etc.), flaxseed & flaxseed oil, chia seeds, walnuts, canola oil, soybeans & soybean oil, mayonnaise, and leafy green vegetables (such as Brussels sprouts, kale, spinach, etc.). They are easy to add into the diet in a variety of ways. For example, you can blend chia seeds into a smoothie, add walnuts on top of oatmeal, or replace butter with mayonnaise. Overall, omega-3s are an important component of a healthy diet and have many benefits for your heart and brain health.
Try some of these recipes that are high in omega-3s!
Written by:
Emily Collins
Dietetic Intern