by S. B. Sazen

Created on: December 02, 2007

Up the Omega-3's in Your Diet

Non-fat. Low fat. Anything but dreaded fat. In the not-too-distant past, experts informed us that heart health, cancer prevention, weight control, and general well being all depended on reducing the fat intake in our diets. While this advice still holds true in general, today's nutritionists recommend a more nuanced approach to dietary fat content: Minimize trans fats and cholesterol, but maximize good fats like Omega-3's.

So why do Omega-3's qualify as "good?" Studies suggest that Omega-3's reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, in addition to working as anti-inflammatory agents. They have also been linked to cancer prevention. While more research is necessary to prove these benefits conclusively, the current evidence convinced the World Health Organization and the American Heart Association (AHA) to recommend Omega-3's as part of a healthy diet.

Not all Omega-3's are created equal, however. As described on their website by the National Food Information Council, the two types most clearly linked to health benefits are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Fish, particularly salmon, tuna, mackerel, and herring, lead the list of foods boasting high amounts of these Omega-3's. Plant sources, such as flaxseed and walnuts, provide a third type of Omega 3, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). The body's ability to convert ALA to the more beneficial EPA and DHA is the subject of some controversy: Flaxseed proponents claim that ALA benefits equal those of EPA and DHA, while other researchers stress the primacy of the Omega 3's found in fish.

While the jury's still out on exactly which source, fish or plant, packs the most punch, a large consensus agrees that two servings of fatty fish weekly meet the Omega-3 needs of healthy individuals. For those suffering from coronary heart disease, the AHA recommends upping the intake to 1 gram of EPA or DHA daily, preferably from fish. In some cases, physicians recommend Omega-3's in dietary supplement form.

As with most recommendations for healthy diet, a host of individual factors influence the choice of preferred Omega-3 sources. Because the very fish that provide EPA and DHA can contain high levels of mercury, pregnant women and nursing mothers, as well as children, need to be careful not to eat excessive amounts. This is particularly true of mackerel, which, according to studies cited by the American Pregnancy Association (www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/fishmercu ry.htm), contains extremely high levels of mercury. (This site also provides a chart to determine safe levels of tuna consumption according to weight.) For this population, steering towards salmon and non-fish sources of Omega-3's makes sense. Bring on the walnuts!

Individuals over 50, on the other hand, face fewer concerns with high mercury levels. Coronary heart disease (CHD), however, presents a serious problem for older Americans, particularly men, as well as women with a predisposition to heart disease. These individuals should do their utmost to insure adequate consumption of heart-healthy Omega-3's. Again, adding a couple of servings weekly of salmon or tuna, sprinkling walnuts over a fruit salad, tossing a teaspoon of ground flaxseed into a muffin mix can be all it takes to help prevent blood clots, irregular heartbeat, improve arterial health, and lower blood pressure. Reason enough to up the Omega-3's.

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