Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the essential building blocks of every cell in your body. And fish oil is rich in them. Here’s why you need omega-3 fatty acids and how to add them to your diet, with or without fish.
Every winter morning when I was a kid, my mother would force a soup spoonful of cod liver oil down me. It was ghastly stuff, tasting even worse than the name implies; I credit this dreaded daily ritual with putting me off eating fish for many, many years. But it turns out Mom was on to something.
Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, one of the essential building blocks of all cells. And it seems that every day, we hear more news of the health benefits of these fatty acids, from improved brain function to decreased risk of heart attacks and strokes to alleviating depression. They help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, reduce inflammation and pain from arthritis and have even been shown to reduce the incidence and severity of a number of childhood disorders, including ADD, ADHD and dyslexia. Omega-3 fatty acids are also powerful cancer fighters, helping reduce the risk of colon, breast and prostate cancer. So how do you get these amazing nutrients?
The best and most delicious way to get your omega-3 fatty acids is with a diet rich in fish, particularly fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, lake trout, herring and sardines. At the end of this post, I’ll include a number of seafood recipes that have appeared here at Blue Kitchen.
But with increased warnings about mercury levels in fish, we’re told to limit our intake of certain kinds of seafood. And as a comparatively recent convert to eating fish, I know there are plenty of people who just don’t do fish. So here are a couple of other ideas for adding these vital nutrients to your diet.
First, while fish is the richest dietary source, according to an article in USA Today [I know, shut up], “plant foods such as flaxseed, flaxseed oil, canola oil, unhydrogenated soybean oil and walnuts contain shorter-chain omega-3 fatty acids called alpha-linolenic acid.” It takes about 10 grams of the shorter-chain version to make one gram of the long-chain version, the kind found in fish.
Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil are the best vegetable source of omega-3 fatty acids. We keep flaxseed meal on hand for mixing with breakfast cereal [sprinkle a teaspoon or so in your bowl] or yogurt. It’s also a key ingredient in one of the few things I bake, the lemony and not-too-sweet Lemon Flaxseed Cake.
Fish oil capsules make getting those needed omega-3 fatty acids easy. While most sources agree that increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake through foods is preferable, they also agree that it isn’t always feasible, and that supplements—those clear capsules in the photo above—can be one way to assure you get the amount you need. And what is that amount? Well, to be honest, it varies depending on who you talk to. Often, somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000 to 1,200 mg is given as a typical dosage. And everyone says not to overdo, because fish oil in any form thins the blood.
As with most supplements, talking to your doctor is probably a good thing. But since we don’t eat as much fish as we need to—or would like to—fish oil capsules make a lot of sense for us. And my favorite feature? No cod liver oil taste.
And now those fish recipes I promised:
Spicy Salmon with Mango Salsa
Seared Tuna Pepper Steaks
Pan-grilled Citrus Yellowtail
Seared Salmon with Mixed Greens and Miso Vinaigrette
Pasta Shells with Italian Tuna and Artichokes
Seared Salmon Fillets with Dill Dijon Sauce
Sole Fillets with Lemon Caper Butter
I take 1500 mg/day. Three giant clear-yellow capsules. I learned to buy the “good” ones though, because I have had the occasional “salmon burp”.
I also read that by taking 1 three times a day as opposed to 3 at once helps us keep more of that omega goodness.
Another informative post Terry!
I love fish oil and take it daily – I did hear that in order to get the most out of Salmon you must eat the wild Salmon not the farm raised. Great tip and post – thanks
Donald—Breaking up the dosage throughout the day sounds like a smart idea. Thanks!
Cathy-wheresmydamnanswer—You raise an interesting question with a far from clear answer. Yes, wild salmon is healthier for you. It contains more omega-3 than the farm raised, and there are issues of PCB contamination in the farm raised that aren’t there in wild salmon. On the other hand, with wild salmon, there are issues of exorbitant cost that can put eating fish beyond the reach of many families. And according to a disturbing article a few years back in The New York Times, some salmon being sold as wild is not. Add to this the specter of overfishing in the wild and the choice gets even muddier.
The bottom line is this. Many experts feel that the health benefits to your heart outweigh the potential cancer risks of PCBs. So go ahead and eat salmon, wild or otherwise.
Salmon is excellent for our health but if the salmon is contaminated with heavy metals and or mercury you would be much better off going elsewhere. You really should only eat wild salmon and yes it is expensive. The good thing is you can get high quality salmon oil for much cheaper. Just make sure it has been tested by a 3rd party to guarantee no mercury and heavy metals. To Learn More About Omega 3 -> Salmon Oil
Thanks, Dan. Regarding mercury levels, a recent article posted on WebMD states that the known benefits of salmon outweigh the suspected mercury risks. Further, it says that while mercury levels are low in both farmed and wild Canadian salmon, farmed salmon actually fares better in comparison. Again, it’s far from settled, but I’m sticking with the idea that eating salmon is good.
I just eat a lot of fatty fish every week. Smoked mackerel, salmon and herring in its various varieties are delicious and very good for you.
Michael—That’s certainly the tastiest way to get your omega-3!