High cholesterol levels increase your risk of high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Reduce your risk by lowering your cholesterol levels through a combination of diet, exercise and, if necessary, medication. Avoid unhealthy saturated and trans fats and include healthy unsaturated fats such as omega-3 fatty acids to lower triglyceride and raise good HDL cholesterol levels.
Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat. Your body cannot produce omega-3s, so you must include them in your diet. Omega-3s can help treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Omega-3 fats are critical in fetal and infant brain development and for normal growth. Omega-3 also reduces the risk of colorectal and prostate cancer, macular degeneration, osteoporosis, and certain skin disorders. Omega-3 fats can also reduce inflammation and improve your resting heart rate.
Foods High in Omega-3
Fatty cold-water fish, including salmon, lake trout, herring, mackerel, sardines, anchovies and halibut, are all good sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed and walnuts contains some omega-3s, but not as much as animal-based sources. Krill and algae can be used to make omega-3 supplements, but supplements don't have the same nutritional benefits, vitamins and minerals, as eating real food. Choose wild fish rather than farmed fish to get the highest level of omega-3s. Farmed fish eat a different diet, which can change their nutritional content.
Adding Omega-3s to Your Diet
The two most important types of omega-3s are DHA, docosahexaenoic acid, and EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid. If you are buying fish oil pills, don't look at the total milligrams of fish oil, look specifically for the amount of DHA and EPA. Aim to eat two 6-oz. servings of fish per week for overall heart health. Every 3.5 g of fish contains about 1 g of fish oil. To reduce your cholesterol levels, the American Heart Association recommends you take omega-3 supplements in addition to eating two servings of fish per week. To lower cholesterol, you may need between 2 and 4 g of EPA and DHA daily.
Side Effects of Omega-3 Fish Oil
Don't take more than 3 g of fish oil daily without your doctor's supervision. Too much omega-3s may increase your risk of bleeding, blood thinning and bruising. Choose a fish oil supplement that has been tested for contaminants such as PCBs, mercury and other toxins. If you have Type 2 diabetes, fish oil may raise your fasting glucose levels. Fish oil supplements can cause gastric discomfort, including belching and flatulence.
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