Everything about Omega-3
If you know a thing or two about nutrition and/or supplements, you’ve probably heard of Omega-3 fatty acids. But what are Omega-3 fatty acids exactly? What do they do? In this blog we’ll tell you everything about Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids!
What are Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of polyunsaturated fats. The best known are alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA is an essential fatty acid. Essential fatty acids are fats that the body cannot produce by itself, even though you're body needs them to function normally. That means that you need to consume these essential fatty acids through your diet. The other Omega-3 fatty acids can be made by the body itself from ALA.
What do Omega-3 fatty acids do?
Fats in your diet are a source of energy, vitamine A, vitamin D, vitamin E and essential fatty acids. Generally, a 1:1 ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids is usually recommended. That means that you should consume the same amount of Omega-3 fatty acids as Omega-6 fatty acids. However, people consume a lot more Omega-6 fatty acids than Omega-3 fatty acids in a typical Western diet. This ranges from a ratio of 10:1 to 30:1 in favour of Omega-6 fatty acids.
How do you create a balance between Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids?
Institutions like the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommend a daily fat consumption of between 20 and 40 percent of your total energy intake, with 3 to 12 percent coming from polyunsaturated fats. So someone who consumes 2000 kcal per day should consume a maximum of 27 grams of polyunsaturated fats. This should consist of 13,5 grams of Omega-3 fatty acids and 13,5 grams of Omega-6 fatty acids. Common sources of Omega-6 fatty acids are sunflower oil, corn oil and vegetable margarine. To increase the percentage of Omega-3 in your diet you can consume some of the following products:
Fish
The Health Council of the Netherlands recommends a daily intake of 450mg of fish oil. American organisations like the American Heart Association recommend a intake that’s a little higher. When we say fish oil we actually mean two types of essential fatty acids, namely EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) en DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). To get to an average daily consumption of 450mg of fish oil, you should eat fish about twice a week. At least one of those should be a fatty fish. It is important that the fish is naturally fatty, and not because it has been deep fried! Examples of fatty types of fish are salmon, tuna and plaice. The average West-European eats too little fish. You might not like fish, don’t have the time to prepare it or you’re on a plant-based diet. Thankfully there are several more ways to consume enough Omega-3 fatty acids.
Fish oil capsules
Fish oil capsules are an easy way to consume both DHA and EPA. Do pay attention to the amount of DHA and EPA per capsule. Marinol Omega-3 capsules are an excellent choice. The capsules can sometimes cause a fishy taste in your mouth. A good way to prevent this is to freeze the capsules or try a flavoured variant.
Chia seeds, walnuts & flaxseed oil
These are all vegetable sources of Omega-3 fatty acids. Chia seeds are a superfood and very popular. Apart from being a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids, Chia seeds also contain a lot of fibre. Contrary to what you may think, you cannot cook with flaxseed oil. But flaxseed oil does contain a lot of magnesium, zinc and fibre. Walnuts are also a good and really tasty source of Omega-3 fatty acids.
Conclusion
It is recommended to consume roughly the same amount of Omega-3 fatty acids as Omega-6 fatty acids. To reach this 1:1 ratio you should probably eat less Omega-6 and more Omega-3 fatty acids. Fish oil capsules are an effective and easy solution. Other options are vegetable sources of Omega-3 fatty acids or eating fish twice a week, of which at least once a fatty fish.