I found this article this morning on Yahoo. A good reference for those of you who are vegetarian or vegan, for those with joint pain, and for everyone who doesn't get enough omega-3 fats - which is 99% of the population!!!!
In fact, let me delve into the beauty of omega-3 fatty acids today. I did a couple of research projects on those little buggers in college and discovered how vital they truly are for your health.
Everyone says that unsaturated fats are much better for you than saturated fats, right? This is nothing less than true. However, a lesser known fact is that there are 2 types of unsaturated fats: Omega-3, or Linolenic fats, and Omega-6, or Linoleic fats. Omega-3s and Omega-6s compete with eachother for a place in your cells. While Omega-6s are essential in the diet, they promote inflammation and constriction. Omega-3s have the opposite effect, decreasing inflammation and promoting dilation. If we eat lots more omega-6s than we do omega-3s, our cells are more susceptible to inflammation, which can lead to cell death and higher incidence of heart diseases and certain cancers.
The average Western diet has an omega-6:omega-3 ratio of 10:1 or higher. This is because omega-6 fats are more widely distributed in the foods we eat: poultry, eggs, whole grains, most vegetable oils, cereals, avocados. Omega-3s are a little bit harder to find... the highest sources include salmon, tuna, flaxseed, and walnuts. The ratio for these fats should be closer to 4:1 to prevent diseases.
My point of this whole rant is that we all need more omega-3 fats in our diet. An easy way to get those fats is to have salmon or tuna at least once a week. Try grinding up flaxseed (store it in a dry cupboard space) and sprinkling it on top of salads, sandwiches, other grain dishes or add it to muffins, cookies, and homemade breads. Have a constant supply of walnuts and almonds on hand, so you can snack on them when you need a little energizer.
Many people swear by fish oil supplements, but I am skeptical. I'm not totally against them, but it is complicated to shop around for the right supplement.
1. If the product doesn't specify what kind of fish oil you're taking (salmon, cod, sardine?), then you don't know the source of it, or if it contains harmful chemicals or mercury.
2. The supplements will also contain other ingredients or preservatives to keep the supplements from going rancid, and we all know how I feel about consuming ingredients that I've not heard of or can't pronounce.
3. Finally, too much omega-3 supplementation can be a bad thing. Often, the "recommended dosage" of Fish Oil pills is far higher than the necessary daily intake. This can lead to problems in the body's natural inflammation response as well as preventing blood clotting and promoting hemorrhagic stroke.
I hope this is helpful! Go home and eat some salmon on the grill!
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