Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels, as well as reduce your risk of heart disease. A type of essential polyunsaturated fat, there are several different omega-3 fatty acids. Both EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid, and DHA, docosahexaenoic acid, are two of the most important types of omega-3s. Your body can't manufacture DHA or EPA, so they must be included as food in your diet or taken as supplements.
LDL vs. HDL Cholesterol
There are two types of cholesterol that account for your total cholesterol levels. LDL, the "bad" cholesterol, can block your arteries and restrict oxygen-rich blood from reaching vital organs. The lower your LDL levels, the better. HDL, the "good" cholesterol, helps your body process LDL cholesterol by taking moving excess cholesterol to your liver, where it is turned into bile or eliminated from your body. The higher your HDL levels, the better. MayoClinic.com recommends that optimally, you have at least 60 mg/dL of HDL and less than 150 mg/dL of LDL cholesterol. Total cholesterol levels should be below 200 mg/dL.
Omega-3s and HDL Cholesterol
Diets high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as the traditional Mediterranean diet or that of the Inuit Eskimos contain large amounts of DHA and EPA from fatty, cold water fish. Even though a large percentage of calories come from fat, people eating this way have high HDL and lower total cholesterol levels. In addition, omega-3s can lower triglyceride levels -- a type of fat associated with untreated diabetes and heart disease.
Foods High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The best sources of EPA and DHA are fish, such as wild salmon, anchovies, sardines, lake trout, mackerel, herring and bluefish. Walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds and olive oil also contains omega-3 fats, but not DHA; they contain ALA, alpha-linolenic acid, which your body can convert to DHA, but conversion is slow and it's not an equal amount of ALA to DHA. You can take fish oil supplements, but eating whole fish provides the essential omega-3s, protein, selenium, vitamin D and other nutrients. A 3.5 oz. serving of fish provides about 1 oz. of omega-3 oils and the American Heart Association recommends eating about 12 oz. of fish per week.
Too Much of a Good Thing
Although it's important to get enough omega-3s in your diet, it's equally important not to get too much. Omega-3s can thin your blood, leading to bleeding and bruising problems. There is a potential for side-effects or drug interactions when taking fish oil supplements -- they may even raise fasting glucose levels in type 2 diabetics. Fish oil supplements can cause gastric discomfort, including nausea, flatulence and belching. Some fish contains high levels of mercury, PCBs and dioxins, so choose supplements that have been purified to remove toxins.
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