Amanda Rose, Ph.D.

Omega 3 Foods: Foods to Eat and Avoid

Every day it seems that there is new evidence that Omega 3 fatty acids can alleviate depression, heart disease, Alzheimer's, and improve overall health. 

The Omega 3 supplement industry has soared. Clinical trials on depression, heart disease, and diabetes use high doses of Omega 3 fatty acids and find that people struggling with depression get some relief. Omega 3s are important in brain function generally and the western diet has been rather deficient in the fat for the last century. Add an Omega 3 supplement to your diet today, but examine your food intake and improve it for optimal health.

For your optimal health, your most effective long-term strategy is two-pronged: (1) increase the Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet and (2) decrease your intake of Omega 6 fatty acids.

Foods highest in Omega 3 fatty acids tend to be fish and seafood. The USDA compiles data on the nutrient content of food and finds the top Omega 3 foods includes those in the list below. Incorporate them abundantly in your diet.

1. Salmon
2. Herring
3. Anchovy
4. Sablefish
5. Whitefish
6. Tuna
7. Cisco
8. Sardine
9. Oyster
10. Halibut

A fascinating cross-national study on depression and one on postpartum depression by Joseph Hibbeln actually relates national consumption of fish to rates of depression. The less fish a country consumes, the more likely is that its residents suffer from depression. Eating fish is a good way to get Omega 3 fatty acids and the Hibbeln studies suggest that the fish may help fight depression.

One reason we need so much Omega 3 to be healthy is that the typical western diet contains high levels of an Omega 3 competitor, Omega 6. Omega 6 is found abundantly in grain products and vegetable oils. If we consume a lot of Omega 6, we actually need more Omega 3 to be healthy. Your best long-term strategy is to reduce the Omega 6 fats in your diet and to consume foods with an optimal ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 oils. The worst offenders (which you should avoid) include the oils in the list below.

• Peanut oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Cottonseed oil
• Sesame oil
• Sunflower oil

How much Omega 3 and Omega 6: A tool

To explore the content of Omega 3 and Omega 6 in your diet, visit the USDA website and search their database or download their food database program to use on your own computer. Put in your specific food and discover its full nutrient profile.

Avoid toxins in Omega 3 rich seafood

Increasingly we need to be concerned about toxins in seafood and the environmental effects of harvesting fish. Two resources you can use to scope out the fish in your local market is Ocean's Alive. It provide information on a variety of fish, both nutritional and environmental issues. Find fish in your local market and then look it up on one of those sites.

Article Tags: Fatty Acids

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR