Good Fat: The facts about Omega-3

So there seems to be an Omega-3 Fatty acid craze going on right now.  Every time I get on CNN Health or Dr. Oz these days there is always something new I hear and learn about this subject.  I thought I would look into it a bit more and share what Ive read.  To be honest I didn’t really know much going in.  All I knew was that my Mom always said to make sure I have my Flax Seed everyday because it was good for me.

So what are Omega-3 Fatty Acids and why are they so good for you?

Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats found naturally in oily fish, nuts, seeds, and leafy green vegetables. Omega-3 fatty acids are thought to protect against heart disease, inflammation, certain types of cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and macular degeneration (a leading cause of vision loss). Omega-3 fatty acids are critical for proper brain development and neurological function in developing babies, too.  They are often classed as “essential fatty acids”, meaning that they are necessary for our health and that our bodies are unable to produce them.   There is a great article on WebMD that talks about how to best get your Omega-3.  Many think the easiest and low-cal way to get them is through fish oil capsules.  Not so according to one nutritionist they interviewed on the subject.  Lona Sandon RD a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association said:

“There is something about whole food that when it goes into the body it’s more than 90% absorbed, while [with] a supplement you absorb only about 50%,” says Sandon.

Moreover, says Sandon, because the components of different foods work together, they may offer a more complete and balanced source of nutrients.

“It could be something more than just the omega-3s in fish that make it so healthy,” says Sandon. “It could be the amino acids that provide benefits we are not going to see in fish-oil supplements alone.”

There are many great articles written about this subject.  Here are a few links if you would like to research it more.

http://www.healthcastle.com/omega3.shtml

http://ask.doctoroz.com/question/adding-fatty-acids-to-diet