Omega-3s: What You Need to Know:

It’s not exactly news that most Americans eat too much fat and need to cut back on saturated and trans fats. But there’s at least one kind of fat that we don’t get enough of. We should be eating more omega-3 fatty acids, which can offer a tremendous range of health benefits and are found in oily fish (like salmon and sardines) and certain nuts, seeds, and oils. Below are three points to know about these good fats:

• Omega-3s are necessary for optimum health. Omega-3s are called "essential fatty acids" because they can’t be manufactured by the body and must come from the diet. They are important components of cell membranes, particularly in the brain and eyes. Also, the body uses omega-3s to make hormones that keep blood from clotting abnormally and inflammation from getting out of control.

• Omega-3s may benefit many health problems. Studies have linked omega-3s from fish and other foods with a reduced risk of heart attacks and stroke, macular degeneration (a leading cause of blindness in older people), and various types of cancer, including breast, prostate, and colon. Countries with high fish consumption have the lowest rates of major depression and postpartum depression, and preliminary studies suggest omega-3 supplements may be useful adjuncts to conventional medications for treating bipolar disorder (manic depression) and schizophrenia. Omega-3 supplements have also proven helpful in reducing symptoms of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and inflammatory bowel disease. Diets rich in omega-3s can decrease insulin resistance in diabetics. And scientists suspect a lack of omega-3s may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

• The typical American diet is deficient in omega-3s. The best food sources of omega-3s don’t feature prominently in the modern Western diet. In contrast, some health benefits of the traditional Japanese diet and the Mediterranean diet may come from foods containing these good fats. Meanwhile, our diet now provides a large excess of another type of essential fatty acids, called omega-6s, primarily from polyunsaturated vegetable oils (corn, safflower, sunflower). While some scientists believe we need omega-6s and omega-3s at a ratio of about 2:1 or ideally 1:1 to keep vital body functions in balance, the ratio in the typical American diet is more like 10:1. This imbalance may increase risks of inflammatory disorders, heart disease, cancer, and other conditions. For this reason, I advise cutting back on omega-6s while increasing omega-3s.

Stocking Your Diet with Omega-3s
How can you get optimal levels of omega-3s? Kathleen Johnson, a nutritionist who teaches at the Program in Integrative Medicine, advises most people to eat three or more 3-ounce servings of oily fish (such as salmon or sardines) a week, plus another source of omega-3s (such as
walnuts or flax seeds) on other days. For vegetarians, she suggests eating 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds a day plus other omega-3 sources regularly. While these recommendations may seem high, you can work your way up to them gradually. Here’s a rundown of foods rich in omega-3s:

Oily, cold-water fish. Salmon (especially wild salmon), sardines, mackerel, and herring are the best sources of the long-chain omega-3s called DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). DHA may offer specific benefits to the nervous system, while EPA is better known for its heart-protective effects. Your body can make these nutrients from the omega-3 fatty acid found in plant foods, called LNA (alpha-linolenic acid), but the conversion is often inefficient, especially if you consume a lot of omega-6s. That’s why I think it may be better to eat fish rather than relying solely on plant sources of omega-3s.

Walnuts. Nuts in general are heart healthy, and walnuts may be particularly helpful because they’re a good source of LNA. Snack on raw walnuts or add them to salads. Another way to enjoy walnuts is to use walnut oil in salad dressing.

Flax seeds. These are rich in LNA. Buy whole flax seeds at a health food store, store them in the refrigerator, and grind a half-cup at a time in a coffee grinder. Ground flax has a nutty flavor and tastes great sprinkled over cereals, salads, and baked potatoes. You can also bake flax meal into muffins or bread, which won’t affect the omega-3 content, but heating flax makes it more susceptible to spoilage. Refrigerate flax meal in an airtight, opaque container for up to 30 days.

Hemp seeds. Another good source of LNA is hemp seeds, which aren’t psychoactive. Snack on toasted seeds or shelled seeds, which you can eat right from the bag or toast yourself. One company that sells hemp seeds is The Ohio Hempery: (800) 289-4367 or www.buy-hemp.com.

Canola oil. While I use olive oil as my main cooking fat, I occasionally use canola oil, a monounsaturated fat that also contains some LNA. Buy organic, expeller-pressed brands sold in health food stores and some supermarkets.
Fortified eggs. Several companies now sell eggs that contain omega-3s as a result of special mash fed to the hens. But you’d have to eat several eggs each day and take in too much cholesterol to get optimal levels of omega-3s from eggs alone.

What about Supplements?
In general, I don’t recommend supplementing with fish-oil capsules or flaxseed oil, available in capsules or liquid form, since the food sources of omega-3s may contain other nutrients not found in the extracted oils. That being said, Kathleen Johnson suggests that people with autoimmune or inflammatory conditions, heart disease, mental or emotional disorders, diabetes, and insulin resistance may benefit from taking fish-oil capsules or flax oil in addition to getting omega-3s from their daily diet. Although taking omega-3 supplements may help lessen your symptoms, continue with any medications or other treatments needed for your condition.

The omega-3 content of fish-oil capsules varies widely from product to product. So make sure you don’t have to take too many capsules to get a daily dose of at least 1,000 mg of EPA and DHA combined for the above conditions. One exception is bipolar disorder: The only published study used nearly 10 grams per day. A high-potency product that Johnson likes is Ultimate Omega EPA Formula from Nordic Naturals, which contains both EPA and DHA. It’s distilled for purity, and she claims that it doesn’t cause you to burp up a fishy taste. To order, call (800) 662-2544 or visit www.nordicnaturals.com. Fish-oil capsules may affect blood clotting, so it’s best to avoid them if you’re taking anticoagulant drugs, have had a hemorrhagic stroke, or need surgery.

If you wish to supplement with flax oil instead, use the liquid form, rather than taking lots of flax-oil capsules. The suggested dose for the above conditions is 1 tablespoon each day, providing 7 to 8 grams of LNA. Look for flax oil in refrigerated sections of health food stores. Flax oil spoils easily, so don’t use it if it tastes like oil paint. Johnson says the flax oil from Spectrum Essentials is less prone to rancidity. Flax oil appears safe for women, but its safety for men is still unclear: Lab studies suggest it may increase the growth of human prostate-cancer cells, but these findings haven’t been confirmed in a clinical trial. (Flax seeds are fine for men.)

Finally, I agree with Johnson that pregnant and lactating women may benefit from supplementing with DHA (needed by the child for optimal cognitive and visual development) in addition to eating oily fish. One brand sold in many health food stores is Neuromins, derived from algae; follow package directions. Also, I’m delighted that infant formulas enriched with fatty acids such as DHA may be available shortly.

For more: The Omega-3 Connection by Andrew Stoll, MD (Simon & Schuster, 2001), and The Omega Diet by Artemis Simopoulos, MD, and Jo Robinson (HarperCollins, 1999).

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

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