Getting omega-3 fats from food is preferred to getting it from a supplement. Fatty fish with a dark-red-color flesh, like salmon, tuna, sardines, herring and lake trout, are the richer sources of omega -3 fats. Health experts recommend eating two servings of fatty fish each week.
Plant sources of omega-3 fats include chia seed, canola oil, walnuts, walnut oil, flax seed, omega-eggs, wheat germ and soyfoods. The body first has to convert the omega-3 fat in plant foods for its use, so you get fewer omega-3 fats from plant foods than you do from fish. This is still a good way to boost the omega-3 health benefits.
Fish Oil Supplements?
For those people who don’t eat two servings of fish each week, fish oil supplements may be a solution to getting more omega-3 fats in the diet. The American
Heart Association suggests:
1 gram of omega-3 fats (EPA + DHA) in fish oil supplements daily with pre-existing heart disease.
2 to 4 grams to lower triglycerides may be recommended under a physician’s care. Taking a fish oil supplement may have side effects and may interact with medications, so always check with your physician before using omega-3 supplements.
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