Have you read about this recently? As information concerning the health benefits of fatty fish has risen, the number of omega3 products on the market has risen, too. Many processed foods are now enriched with omega-3s. You’ll find margarines and other spreads that are touted as “heart healthy”.
But, are they actually good for your arteries? Are the benefits the same as those you would get by eating fish? The answer could be maybe or maybe not.
One of the things that the US Food and Drug Administration must be commended for is that they do not allow overblown health claims, for the most part. None of us should believe that we can eat anything and everything that we want, take some magic supplement, while sitting on the sofa all day and still be healthy.
We need to eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains like oatmeal, not just whole grain bread. We need to include some healthy fats in our diets. Olive and canola are good choices for cooking. Walnuts and fish are good choices for eating.
An egg or two per week won’t hurt. It is possible for food producers to make eggs omega3 products, naturally, by feeding the chickens flax seed or letting them roam freely and eat worms.
Lean poultry is another good choice for our diets, as is soy. Beans and legumes are very healthy and good non-meat sources of protein. A little pasta won’t hurt, but most people get too many servings of dairy per day. So, macaroni and cheese is not a good choice.
The old food pyramid has been re-done dozens of times in recent years and different practitioners have their own ideas about what’s best. But, one thing that they all agree on is that a sensible diet and regular physical activity is essential, if you want to live a long healthy life. Omega3 products, whether they are fortified foods or dietary supplements may help, but they don’t take the place of healthy foods and exercise.
The benefits of eating omega3-enriched foods may not be the same as those you would get from eating fatty fish or taking a fish oil supplement. Many of the foods are fortified with an omega-3 called alpha-linolenic acid or ALA.
Fatty acids called Docosahexaenoic acid and Eicosapentaenoic acid or DHA and EPA has been the subject of numerous research studies. Omega3 products containing ALA have never been used in these studies and it is unclear if ALA provides the same benefits, at all.
DHA and EPA are found only in fish. There are some vegan supplements on the market that are derived from marine algae. While they are more expensive than fish oil supplements, they are the only alternative for a strict vegan. Flax seed supplements provide only ALA.
Now that you know this, if you decide to eat fish, you should limit your consumption to those species that are low in mercury. If you decide to take a fish oil supplement, choose it carefully. The best fish oil omega3 products provide a minimum of 280mg of DHA per capsule. Take some. It will improve your brain power.
About the Author
Laurel Cohen is a strong advocate of natural health in all its forms: skin care, supplementation, and farm fresh foods. She enjoys introducing people to the best natural products she can find and uses herself daily.
Visit her site http://www.omega-3-for-health.com to learn about the omega 3 fish oils Laurel uses daily for optimal health.
