What is Omega-3?

Fish Oil PillsOmega-3, an essential polyunsaturated nutrient that the body can not make on its own, has been given a lot of good publicity lately and for good reason!

UPDATE: We’ve added a comprehensive article on omega-3 fatty acids in our glossary!

It has been proven to reduce blood triglyceride levels, arthritis, depression, anxiety and the risk of heart attacks. It helps to improve your memory and to reduce headaches, and is so important for balance in your cholesterol. If you tend to eat a lot of “corn-based” products, including processed breads, cereals, snack cakes, and cookies that contain omega-6 acids, you’ll need to replace some of those foods with heart-helping omega-3 choices.

Not only do omega-3 fatty acids contribute to your internal health, but they also help maintain beautiful skin! They help your body to protect itself against sun damage and help your body recover from carcinogens that can cause cancer. Ladies – here’s a skin care regiment that does double duty!

But how can you add more omega-3 to your diet? It’s easy to incorporate omega-3s into your daily basis – the best dietary sources of omega-3s are fish oil (cold water oily fish like wild salmon, cod, herring, mackerel, anchovies and sardines), flax, walnuts, omega-3 fortified eggs, seaweed, soybeans and even canola oil.

If you don’t cook, you can try taking fish oil capsules. You should aim to eat at least 4 grams of omega-3 fatty acids a day. For example, by incorporating two tablespoons of flaxseeds, you will get 3.5 grams of omega-3 fats, or get 1.5 grams of omega-3 fats from a 4-ounce piece of salmon. However, like any vitamin, supplement, or nutrient, it is best to get your omega-3s from food. And if you have serious health concerns, don’t wait to consult a doctor or nutritionist.

What conditions or symptoms indicate a need for more foods high in omega-3? Medical experts say:

  • Depression
  • Cardiovascular Disease
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Fatigue
  • Dry, itchy skin
  • Brittle hair and nails
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Joint pain

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Comments

  1. Thank you for given information about the omega 3.
    What I want to know is if omega 3 reduce highblood presure to. If not,what can I do for reduce high blood presure.

    Mami.

    • Skinny Chef says

      Hi Mami,

      thanks for your question. Here’s what you need to know about high blood pressure, or hypertension as it is called in the medical field. Let’s say you have a certain amount of blood fluid going through your arteries. As you increase the amount of fluid, there’s going to be more pressure on the arterial walls. One of the primary reasons that this can happen is when you consume lot’s of salty foods: the body tries to dilute the amount of salt in your blood stream, and it does so by putting more water into your blood fluids. That’s why doctors and nutritionists recommend to go on a low-sodium diet when you have problems with high blood pressure.

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