Omega-3 is a substance that has really been proven to benefit us in a lot of ways. It truly and really is very good for the heart and is considered the “good” fat that you can take without the guilt. What’s more amazing about omega-3 is that it can be found everywhere and sometimes we’re taking it in without even knowing it. Let’s take a look at what exactly are those foods high in omega-3.
The most common and widely available source of omega-3 is from the fat of fish. This is because the diet of the fish consists heavily of algae and plankton that produce the substance. They store all of this in their fats, which they store for energy. While all fish contain omega-3 naturally, some actually contain more than others. The fish with the most Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) contents found in their fats are salmon, swordfish and tilefishes, which contains 1.9 grams, 0.97 grams and 0.9 grams of n-3 fatty acids respectively.
Another great source of omega-3 is green-lipped mussels. These shellfish from New Zealand actually contain a unique blend of the fatty acid when compared to other sources of omega-3. It has been discovered that their main use lies in treating patients suffering from inflammation, particularly arthritis. New Zealand has capitalized on their rich sources of the mussels that they’ve refined the process of extracting their oils and have patented it as Lyprinol, a dietary supplement used as an anti-inflammatory.
There are also certain plants that contain high levels of omega-3, but are not as efficient as seafood. This is because plants contain an enzyme called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), rather than DHA or EPA. This doesn’t mean that they’re not an excellent source of omega-3, however. Plant extracts are a perfect substitute for people who suffer from allergies from seafood or are not particularly fond of eating fish. The plants with the best sources of omega-3 are flaxseed, butternuts and hempseed, each consisting of 18.1% and 8.7% respectively (both butternuts and hempseed contain the same amount of ALA).
Eggs are also a great source of omega-3, particularly coming from chickens fed with a diet of greens and insects. In order to introduce even more omega-3 into the meat of chickens, their diet can be supplemented with fish oils and plants high in the fatty acid such as flax or canola seeds.
These are only some of the most commonly and readily available foods high in omega-3, and even if you don’t take time to increase your diet in these foods, then you can always take purified supplements to aid in increasing the omega-3 in your diet.


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