Diets that consist of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help improve your cardiovascular system, reduce your risk of heart disease and boost your overall health, reports the Mayo Clinic. The next time you go grocery shopping, add a couple omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods to your list and you may experience the benefits for yourself.
Wild Salmon
Colorado State University ranks wild salmon as one of the top 10 super foods that ensure better health. Dr. Shirley Perryman, a human nutrition specialist writing for the university, says it's a "nutritional powerhouse" because of its high levels of omega-3 fats. She recommends eating wild salmon two times every week, and warns that farm-raised salmon may have higher levels of toxins and contaminants.
Eggs
Purdue University's International Omega-3 Learning and Education Consortium for Health and Medicine reports that all chicken eggs contain omega-3 fatty acids, with most of it in the egg yolk. The consortium notes that some egg farmers give their chickens omega-3 fats in the form of feed ingredients, like algae. This boosts the amount of omega-3 fatty acids found in the eggs, sometimes by more than 800 percent. These enhanced eggs are typically labeled as such.
Flaxseed
The Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension states that flaxseed contains high amounts of alpha-linolenic acid, which the extension calls the vegetable version of omega-3 fatty acids. Due to its fatty acid content and its high amount of antioxidants known as lignans, flaxseed gets ranked by the extension as a super food for "optimal health."
Soybeans
Soybeans come recommended by the University of Maryland Medical Center as a vegetable-based source of omega-3 fatty acids. You can enjoy the soybeans whole as a snack or vegetable side dish, or in other forms, such as in tofu, soy milk and roasted as soy nuts. For example, the center suggests switching out your standard vegetable oil for soybean oil to get a dose of omega-3s.
Nuts
Grab a handful of crunchy nuts and you'll get more than fiber and protein, but also a boost in omega-3 fatty acids. The National Institutes of Health specifically advises people to eat English walnuts for a non-meat source of the acids. Note that many nuts also contain a lot of fat, and may be seasoned with unhealthy ingredients, like excessive sodium.
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