Omega 3 Fatty Acids Have Many Health Benefits but Some Concerns as Well

I have recently been put on a diet to control blood sugar by my Doctor. And yes to lose a pound or two as well, which I am not opposed. But she specifically wanted me to include specified levels of Vitamin D, Calcium, Fiber and Omega 3s. What in the world is an Omega 3. Kind of sounds like some out of this world thing. I did some research and this is what I found.

Omega 3 comes from fat but it helps you lose fat? Huh?

Omega 3s come from fat. Okay, I say, now I am really confused. I thought I was trying to lose weight not eat fat! Doesn't that make you fatter?

Well, come to find out, not all fat is bad and unhealthy. And Omega 3 fatty acids have a lot of good benefits, like helping to control blood sugar and helping to lose belly fat and fighting heart disease. Research even shows they help fight against the symptoms of depression, dementia, cancer and arthritis. Now how can you argue with that?

Not all fat is bad or unhealthy

Omega 3s are found in salmon, tuna, other fish as well, nuts especially walnuts, leafy green vegetables. Some fortified cereals and certain milks and margarines. Not to mention Flax seed and Flax seed oil. And of course, Cod Liver Oil, which I just can't tolerate. Too many childhood memories with that one.

You should also know that Omega 3s come in two forms, the Omega 3 found in fish is called DHA and EPA. Fish Omega 3s do seem to be the stronger of the two as far as health benefits go. But the other kind of Omega 3 called ALA which is found in vegetable oils and flax-seed, walnuts, dark leafy green vegetables etc, is also beneficial. And our bodies are able to convert a small amount of ALA into the stronger Omega 3s or EPA and DHA. So to get all the benefits from Omega 3s. Just eat a combination of them all.

Two types of Omega 3, one stronger and more beneficial than the other, but both good.

Omega 3 fatty acids help fight disease by its anti-inflammatory properties in the blood vessels, joints and muscles. They also help to control your heart rhythm, by having a stabilizing effect on the heart. They also slow plaque build up in your blood vessels. Interestingly enough, our bodies can not produce Omega 3s on its own, we must get them from our diets. Some more great sources of Omega 3s are broccoli and edamame.

An important caution with Omega 3s, it can raise your cholesterol

There is one caution about Omega 3s. Although they can lower your triglycerides, which is a type of blood fat that heart disease is linked to, it can unfortunately, increase your cholesterol. The good (HDL) but also the bad (LDL). So just talk with your doctor about how this may affect you before starting your high Omega 3 diet.

Another great benefit is that Omega 3s lower blood pressure. Not a lot, but along with other lifestyle changes could be beneficial. There is also evidence that they can help prevent strokes. Since it reduces plague build up and has anti-clotting properties, which are both causative factors in ischemic stroke (the kind of stroke where blood clots break off into your blood stream and travel to the brain and cut off oxygen to an area of your brain), it would be beneficial in prevention.

So many positive health benefits from Omega 3s

One positive benefit that I am particularly interested in is the positive benefit Omega 3s have on arthritis. I already mentioned the anti-inflammatory effect of Omega 3s, well joint pain and stiffness in people with Rheumatoid Arthritis can be benefited by this.

Another great benefit is the reduction of the danger of colon cancer, breast cancer and advanced prostate cancer. The indication is that a diet that includes fish would be beneficial, but the American Cancer Society Will not endorse Omega 3 supplements for cancer prevention.

So there are plenty of reasons to be excited about Omega 3s. The best source includes fish, though all fish are not equal. Top choices of fish to include in your Omega 3 rich diet would include Salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, anchovies and tuna. The American Heart Association recommends fish at least twice a week. Although most of us love Tuna and have it more often than say, mackerel, there are some precautions to think about even with Tuna. Albacore tuna or White tuna has more Omega 3 than canned light tuna, but it also has a higher mercury contamination concentration. For most people it is not a health concern. But the FDA does offer some guidelines for children, nursing or pregnant women. Limit albacore tuna to 6 ounces a week. Limit fish lower in mercury to 12 ounces a week and avoid shark, swordfish, King mackerel and tile-fish. They also suggest removing the skin and fat before cooking these fish.

Many and varied sources of Omega 3s from diet to supplements

If you are just not a fish eater you can get your Omega 3 from supplements. One gram a day is recommended for anyone with heart disease. Also there is the chance of increased bleeding if taking high levels of Omega 3 and it can interfere with some medications. Vitamin E may be depleted by taking Fish Oil, so you can find supplements that have included Vitamin E. Again I urge to check with your doctor before starting something like this.

And if you simply aren't a meat eater and are going to stick to a vegetarian diet you can still get your Omega 3s. There are algae supplements that provide the DHA type of Omega 3 (the stronger more beneficial type). Also vegetarians can get the ALA type of Omega 3 from foods such as canola oil, flax seed, walnuts, broccoli and spinach, or Omega 3 fortified products that are on the market.

So as you can see there are some real benefits to an Omega 3 rich diet, including weight loss and belly fat reduction (according to Prevention Magazine). And there are a variety of sources available regardless of your dietary likes and dislikes. So talk to your doctor about enriching your diet with Omega 3s.

Source:

WebMD

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