Why Should You Include Omega 3 Fatty Acids in Your Diet?

Omega 3’s are a family of unsaturated fatty acids. These are essential nutrients which must be obtained from food.

What are the Benefits?

There are good fats and bad fats . The omega-3 essential fatty acids are among the best fats. Research indicates that they help reduce systemic inflammation and support cardiovascular, joint, eye and brain health.

David Wolfe in The Sunfood Diet Success System states that a dietary lack of these essential fatty acids in brain tissue can lead to neurological imbalances and potentially depression.

In addition, essential fatty acids can deactivate free radicals by giving them electrons. The fatty acids sweep toxins along to the liver to be eliminated.

They have been shown to help children who cannot focus while in school.

Are There Health Risks?

The Food and Drug Administration recommends that persons who have congestive heart failure, chronic angina or evidence that their heart is receiving insufficient blood flow should talk to their doctors before taking omega-3 fatty acids supplements.

A potent source is oily fish. However, fish is often polluted with mercury and other toxins. If you decide to take fish oil, make sure it’s fresh and comes from a pure, unconcentrated fish oil free from mercury and other toxins. Consuming rancid fish oil is like declaring war on your body because of the millions of free radicals that can damage your cells.

Mike Anderson in The Rave Diet & Lifestyle states that high concentrations of these fatty acids promote the spread of cancer cells because of the production of free radicals.

Vegan Food Sources

Unlike the concentrated fats in fish and vegetable oils, omega 3s found in natural, whole plant foods are stable and do not produce free radicals.

Some excellent vegan sources are:

• flax seeds
• hemp seeds
• kiwi
• dark leafy green vegetables
• chia seeds
• walnuts
• pecans
• hazelnuts

You can buy some whole flax seeds, keep them in the refrigerator until use, grind them freshly in a coffee grinder and blend them in juice or a healthy smoothie or sprinkle on salads or vegetables.

Howard Lyman, in No More Bull!: The Mad Cowboy Targets America's Worst Enemy: Our Diet, refers to the Vegan Health Study conducted by Dr. Michael Klaper, in which he advises that vegans should make sure to get their essential omega-3 fatty acids. Dr. Michael Greger, another vegan expert, agrees.

Another point they make is that you need to be careful to not upset the balance between omega 3s and omega 6s. People tend to eat too much corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, and margarine, which can upset the balance. Limit these fats and eat those whole foods such as in the list above instead.

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