Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of essential fatty acid. Since your body cannot make them, you need to get them through your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids perform several functions in your body. They help with the creation of cell membranes and the regulation of blood clotting, according to Frank Sacks, M.D., of Harvard School of Public Health. Several foods contain omega-3 fatty acids, and options are available if you're a vegetarian.
Fish
Fish contains the largest amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Two types of omega-3 fatty acids exist in coldwater fish: eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, may help with high blood pressure and rheumatoid arthritis. Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, helps with nervous system development during the first six months of life. Examples of fish that contain omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, cod, sardines, mackerel, shark, halibut, tuna and herring. Other sea life, such as krill, are another option. The University of Maryland Medical Center warns that if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, limit your consumption of white albacore tuna to less than 6 oz. a week and avoid shark, swordfish, mackerel and tilefish.
Beans
Beans are sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Examples are soybeans, kidney beans, navy beans and Great Northern beans. These beans contain the fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, notes the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Vegetables
Certain vegetables have omega-3 fatty acids. If you are a vegetarian, you can get DHA from seaweed. Leafy green vegetables, such as kale and spinach, are sources of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly ALA. Brussels sprouts and salad greens, such as purslane, are other vegetable sources.
Oils and Nuts
Several oils that you use in cooking provide omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acid ALA exists in different types of vegetable oils. Your body consumes ALA and converts it into DHA and EPA. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine lists soybean oil, canola oil and flaxseed oil as sources of ALA. Other types of oil that contain omega-3 fatty acids include walnut oil, pumpkin seed oil and perilla seed oil. You may also obtain omega-3 fatty acids by eating nuts and seeds that make these oils, such as walnuts and flaxseeds.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Omega-3 Supplements: An Introduction
- Harvard School of Public Health: Ask the Expert: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- BreastCancer.org: Foods Containing Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
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