Finding The Best Omega 3 Foods
The best omega 3 foods give you natural health benefits
With all our talk of supplements, we sometimes forget that omega 3 foods are the best source of omega fatty acids. It's true that a good quality supplement is better than nothing, but we aren't talking about a good-bad situation: it's more like bad, good, best. Bad is an omega 3 deficiency, good is a supplement, and best is getting your omega 3 benefits from a diet rich in natural fatty acids.
Time and time again, studies have shown that when you separate an essential nutrient, such as fish oil, from its natural source, you lose some of the benefits. That means that if you really want those omega 3 benefits, you should be looking to your food.
The best of omega 3 foods
That said, not all foods are created equal, and packaging leaves something to be desired in terms of honesty and clarity. If you really want natural omega 3 sources, there are once again bad, good, and best places to get it.
The Bad
-Inexpensive supplements which often contain a lot of fillers, omega 6 (which we get too much of already), and the like
-Prepackaged products that brag they contain omega 3s because they have a bit of flax or canola oil. The omega 3 is negligible, and it's not as high quality as fish oil.
-Extremely fatty foods that try to distract from their basic lack of nutrition by using omega 3 oils. A french fry is a french fry no matter what kind of oil you soak it in.
The Good
-Vegetarian omega 3 sources, such as flax, walnuts, and leafy greens, contain high levels of omega 3 and are good for you. However, they are often lacking some of the higher order omega 3 fatty acids you'd find in meats.
-Grass fed meats (or to a lesser extent, grain fed) are also a good source of omega 3 fatty acids. Again, it's not as good as fish oil, but it's better than the vegetarian sources.
-High quality supplements. Supplements including fish oil are often expensive, but they aren't high in fillers or mercury, which can create health problems of their own.
-Lean fish such as shrimp -- they are still omega 3 foods, but they naturally don't contain the same fatty acids as fattier fish.
The Best
-Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, and halibut. These are the very best source of omega 3 fatty acids, and they are the foods with the most naturally occurring oils, so they are the most likely to give you the nutrition you need.
-Omega 3 enhanced eggs. Naturally, eggs do contain some omega 3s, but the amount will vary greatly from brand to brand. Buying eggs enhanced with omega 3s is a good way to ensure that you're getting the right amounts.
Now you know the very best omega 3 foods, so get out there and start improving your health!
