Omega 3 is the name for a group of fats (or fatty acids) that are usually found in abundance in oily fish and that play a vital role in our health. The importance of these essential fats was largely overlooked by nutritionists until a decade or so ago but doctors and scientists are now finding that consumption of Omega 3 oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has a wide range of health benefits.
Essential fatty acids are given this name because they cannot be produced (or synthesized) in the human body. Whatever we need has to come through our diet. The two important essential fatty acids are Omega’s 3 and 6. For many years research focused on the second of the two, which is found in many grains and plant-based oils, yet over the past decade or so research has revealed how the two work in combination and that in fact the ratio between these two fats is crucial to good health.
What does Omega 3 do in the body?
In the body, Omega 3 acts as the building block of a number of important hormones and other chemical signals. The main uses of Omega 3 are to dampen down inflammatory responses. This makes it useful in improving heart health because it reduces some of the inflammation of arteries that contributes to their narrowing. It is also thought to help reduce the risks and severity of some autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as Rheumatoid arthritis.
It is also important to look at the ratio of Omega 3 to its counterpart, Omega 6, which contains arachidonic acid, the building block for a number of enzymes involved in the body’s immune, pain and inflammatory responses.
When both of these substances are present in the body, they compete with one another for conversion into the end products that the body uses. This means that if we have too much of one and not enough of the other, then we may end up with an imbalance that can manifest in a variety of illnesses. In typical Western diets the proportion of Omega 6 to Omega 30 is often as high as 30 to 1 and typically 10 to 1. In contrast, our ancestors who ate a diet that was richer in fish and wild game (another rich source of these fats) had ratios that were much closer to equal (with a range of up to about 4 to 1).
These numbers aren’t meant to put you off – the important bit to remember is that we used to have a much better balance, yet these days many of us get far too much Omega 6, which is present in many of the oils we consumer in every day life such as sunflower oil or corn oil. Many of us may also exacerbate this imbalance by taking the wrong sorts of supplements, such as those containing starflower oil (sometimes known as borage oil), which are very rich in Omega 6.
What does Fish Oil Do for Your Body?
There are a number of studies that are showing that fish oil produces most of its benefits from its high concentration of Omega 3 (EPA and DHA). Among the many Omega 3 fatty acid benefits are that it may lead to:
- reduced inflammation
- improvements in depression
- less anxiety
- reduced risk of heart disease
- weight loss
- reduced risk of alzheimer’s
- slower growth in prostate cancer
What foods contain Omega 3?
The best food sources of these fats are cold-water oily fish. Wild salmon, sardines, mackerel, anchovies and herring are all good natural sources. What is more, many of these fish are nearer to the bottom of the food chain, which means they are unlikely to have accumulated many environmental toxins such as heavy metals (for eg mercury) or PCBs. One can also obtain meaningful amounts of these healthy fats from fish such as Tuna, but one should avoid eating predator fish such as tuna more than a couple of times a week. Pregnant women and small children should be especially careful to avoid these fish, as they are more likely to contain dangerous contaminants.
Many nuts also contain these good fats. Among them are pecan nuts, hazel nuts and hempseed or flaxseed. Another potential source is eggs from hens that have been fed on a diet that is rich in sources of Omega 3 oils.
Further reading:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/good-fat-bad-fat-facts-about-omega-3
