Your body cannot make omega-3 fatty acids, yet they are essential for your health. These fats help lower risk your risk of chronic health problems, including heart disease, cancer and arthritis and may also improve cognitive and behavioral functioning. Cold-water fish, some nuts and several types of seeds are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids, as are whole grains, legumes, and a few green, leafy vegetables.
Importance
Omega-3 fatty acids keep arteries clear and flexible, reducing your risk for heart disease, lowering cholesterol and decreasing high blood pressure. Overall, this lowers your risk of heart attack, stroke and death.
The anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, an autoimmune disease with some similar symptoms to arthritis, and may also reduce the severity of migraine headaches and menstrual cramps.
Because omega-3 fatty acids are important for proper brain functioning, some evidence suggests that, in combination with prescription medications, omega-3 fatty acids may help relieve symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, as well as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children.
Omega-3 fatty acids may also help reduce the risk of many cancers, including cancers of the colon, breast and prostate, possibly by strengthening the immune system.
Nuts
Walnuts top the list of nuts containing high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. One-quarter cup of walnuts, about 1 ounce, contains 2.3 to 2.6 grams omega-3 fatty acids. About 10 percent of the total fat in walnuts are omega-3s. Brazil nuts are also notably high in omega-3 fatty acids; about 7 percent of the fats present in these nuts are of the omega-3 type. Pecans and pistachios contain much less, with one ounce packing 0.3 g to 0.1 g, respectively. Butternuts, hickory nuts, macadamia nuts and peanuts also contain some omega-3 fatty acids. Almonds do not contain any omega-3 fatty acids.
Oils
Not surprisingly, oils made from nuts high in omega-3 fatty acids also contain high amounts of fatty acids. For example, 1 tablespoon of walnut oil contains 1.4 g of omega-3 fatty acids. Other oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseed oil, which contains 6.9 g per tablespoon, and sardine oil, which contains 3.7 g per tablespoon. Cod liver oil contains about 2.8 g per tablespoon. Other oils, such as canola, soybean and olive oil, contain much less.
Other Food Sources
Cold-water fish contain the highest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. For example, 4 ounces of canned mackerel contains 2.2 g; 4 oz of cold-water, fresh and frozen salmon contains about 1.7 g, although 4 oz. of canned salmon contains slightly higher amounts, about 2.2 g. Other food sources of omega-3 fatty acids include chia seeds, flax seeds, roasted or cooked soybeans, navy beans, olives, spirulina, spinach, wheat germ, lamb, pork and purslane, a wild, edible plant that is particularly high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Recommended Daily Intake
The National Institutes of Health recommend that you get at least 2 percent of your total daily calories in the form of omega-3 fats. This translates to about 2 grams of omega-3 fats per day for a typical 2,000-calories-per-day diet, or 7 to 11 grams per week. Consuming two fish dinners a week or about one half-cup walnuts per day can reduce the risk of stroke by as much as 50 percent. However, because omega-3 fatty acids have blood-thinning properties, consuming more than that may increase your risk for bleeding issues and hemorrhagic strokes, a particularly deadly type of stroke in which the artery in the brain leaks or ruptures.
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