Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids, meaning your body can't manufacture them; they must come from the food you eat. Omega-3 fatty acids, also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids, come in several forms. Fish oil contains two types of omega-3 fatty acids: docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA. While plants such as flaxseed and nuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids, they contain a different type of omega-3 fatty acid, called alpha linolenic acid, or ALA.
Types
The only food products that contain fish oils are fish, particularly cold-water fatty fish such as albacore tuna, herring, lake trout, mackerel, salmon and sardines. Other good sources of omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil include anchovies, bluefish, carp, catfish, halibut, pompano, striped sea bass and whitefish, MayoClinic.com says.
Recommended Intake
The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of fatty fish per week, with one serving equaling 3.5 oz. cooked or 3/4 cup of flaked fish.
Benefits
Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils appear to have a number of benefits for your heart. Both DHA and EPA reduced triglyceride levels in human trials, MayoClinic.com reports. Fish oil may also increase high-density lipoprotein, the "good" cholesterol, but may also increase the less desirable low-density lipoprotein. Fish oil may reduce plaque buildup in blood vessels that can lead to heart attack or stroke. Eating two servings of fish per week may reduce the risk of stroke by 50 percent, the University of Maryland Medical Center website reports.
Side Effects
Up to 3 g of omega-3 fatty acids from fish per week should have no negative effects, MayoClinic.com says. In extremely large amounts, fish oil can increase bleeding tendencies or could increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
Concerns
A number of harmful contaminants such as dioxin, mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls, also known as PCBs, can accumulate in fish. The Food and Drug Administration advises children and pregnant women not eat fish containing the highest amounts of mercury: shark, swordfish, tilefish and king mackerel. Catfish, pollack, canned light tuna and salmon usually have lower concentrations of mercury. For people at risk of heart disease, such as middle-aged and older men and women after menopause, the benefits outweigh the risk, the American Heart Association reports.
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