Eating foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids can benefit your overall health. The MayoClinic.com reports that by eating healthy amounts of omega-3 rich foods you can lower your triglycerides, reduce your chances of experiencing a heart attack, help prevent sudden death from abnormal heart rhythms and slow the buildup of atherosclerotic plaques. Due to the significant benefits to the health of your heart the American Heart Association recommends you regularly consume certain omega-3 rich foods.
Omega Fish
Some types of fish can provide you with a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. The American Heart Association recommends that you eat at least two servings of fatty fish per week. The specific types of fish that the America Heart Association recommends include salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna because these fish contain high amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA and docosahexaenoic acid DHA, two types of omega-3s.
When consuming fish it is important to be aware of the high levels of mercury that can be found in some fish. Pregnant women and young children should be especially careful about consuming fish and may want to obtain the majority of their omega-3 from other sources.
Nuts and Seeds
The American Heart Association suggests that you also consume walnuts, flax seed, soybeans and tofu; these products are high in the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid.
Walnuts can easily be consumed as a snack. Tofu can be added to meals and cooked in place of a meat product to provide you with a low-fat omega-3 option. Also, flax seed can be found in powder form and can be sprinkled over cereals, yogurt and baked into all kinds of bread products.
Oils
Some plant based oils also contain the ALD form of omega-3. Omega-3 rich oils include canola, soybean, olive and flaxseed and the American Heart Association recommends you add these to your diet.
You can use these oils to season foods or add them to foods you bake; just replace your other oils, butters and shortening with omeg-3 rich oils.
Supplements
If you do not regularly consume enough foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids then it is valuable to take a supplement. It is important to remember that natural food sources of omega-3 fatty acids are generally thought to be better than supplements so if you can regularly consume the necessary foods you should.
The American Heart Association suggests that people who cannot consume enough omega-3 in their diet talk with their doctor about taking a supplement because taking too much can cause excessive bleeding in some people.
Omega-3 supplements come in the form of flax seed or fish oil supplements.
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