| THIS ARTICLE IS PART 2 of “Oh My…Omega’s! and focuses on Food Sources and Supplements
Omega-3 fatty acids make up a major part of brain and body cells but can only be ingested, not made by our bodies. Omega-3s are important for building brain cell membranes, dendrites and synapses. They are also anti-inflammatory, and thus helpful for preventing or managing a variety of diseases. Choose fish (3 or more x a week!), seafood, fish oils, green leafy vegetables, walnuts, flax seeds, and purslane.
What are the Types of Omega-3’s?
There are two major types of Omega-3 fatty acids:
- alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is the plant form,
- eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which is the marine or “sea” form. EPA and DHA are found in fish, algae and all seafoods and in grass fed and free range animals and poultry.
It is the marine form, DHA and EPA, that help make up our own brains and bodies cell membranes and other components, not ALA, the plant form.
Food Sources of Omega-3’s
ALA is found in vegetable oils such soybean, canola (rapeseed), and flaxseed, pumpkin seed, hemp seed, and perilla seed oils. Other sources of ALA include flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, wheat (especially wheat germ), hemp, soybeans, tofu, walnuts, kidney beans, purslane, and green vegetables such as kale, spinach, Swiss Chard, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, mustard greens (and all of the other types of Chinese green vegetables), grape leaves, cauliflower, and salad greens.
Most foods rich in ALA also contain vitamin E which is one of nature’s primary ways of preventing oxidation of the delicate Omega 3’s. It is vitamin E in its multiple forms that also helps protect from oxidation the Omega 3’s in our brain cell membranes and dendrites! (see our website and previous article about Vitamin E).
Purslane, though considered an exotic weed in the US, is frequently eaten as a leaf vegetable in Europe, Asia, and Mexico. Not only is purslane a rich source of ALA (1 cup of fresh leaves contains about 300 to 400 mg), but it is also a source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, some B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and iron. Some types of purslane are now sold as flowering plants; these are also edible.
What are the fish and animal sources of Omega-3’s?
EPA and DHA are found mostly in marine sources, especially in higher-fat, cold-water varieties of fish such as salmon, mackerel, albacore tuna, sardines, Atlantic herring, swordfish, and lake trout, as well as in algae and krill…so today they are referred to as “marine” Omega 3’s.
Surprising to many, PASTURE-RAISED (Free Range or Grass-fed) beef, lamb, and other animals, poultry and free-range chicken’s eggs are also rich sources of “marine” Omega 3’s including DHA and EPA.
Sixty percent of the fat content of grass is ALA Omega-3 fatty acid. When animals consume grass and green leafy “weeds,” their flesh contains both ALA and the “marine” forms of Omega 3’s. Just like humans, cattle convert the ALA they consume into EPA and DHA forms of Omega-3’s; an analysis of grass-fed beef shows that EPA is the most prevalent Omega 3. ALA is the second most prevalent Omega-3 in grass fed beef with DHA the least abundant. But when transferred to the feed lot to be fattened on grains, the Omega-3 content rapidly diminishes until after just a few months in the feed lots, it is mostly gone. Animals fed only grain have high levels of Omega 6’s and very low levels of Omega 3’s in their flesh… or milk or products made from animal milk.
Some varieties of eggs are Omega-3 enriched, with either ALA or DHA/EPA depending on what the chickens are fed, and whether they are free-range. Feeding chickens flaxseed and canola (rape) seed and greens increases mostly ALA content while feeding them algae and seaweed increases EPA and DHA content of the eggs.
Thus if you do eat animal foods, and you can afford it, go for the grass fed and free range beef and lamb, and free range chickens, and/or Omega-3 eggs, and milk and cheese from grass fed cows. This is especially important for meat lovers who are not eating enough vegetables!
How often should I eat fish and seafood?
The Memory Preservation Nutrition (MPN)® program recommends eating fish at least three times a week and ideally some fish, seafood and/or marine oil (from fish, cod liver, or calamari) every day of the week.
The MPN™ does not emphasize just oily or fatty fish, even though they are higher in Omega 3 fatty acids, for several reasons. The most important reason is that many non-oily fish also are relatively high in Omega-3’s and other important nutrients, and it is key that people try to eat fish that they enjoy eating.
What about contaminants in fish?
Though some fish contain mercury and other toxins the USDA and nutritionists say it is still safe to eat as much as 12 oz/week of those with problems (i.e. some domestic salmon, and those with higher mercury levels such as tuna, swordfish, and shark). However, pregnant women and small children are, as of late 2008, still cautioned by the USDA to avoid these particular fish.
Even more important though, pregnant women and small children need to consume fish, seafood, and fish oil to foster adequate brain and nervous system development for the fetus and child. There is indication that inadequate Omega-3’s in mother (during mother’s pregnancy and lactation) and child can result in poorer cognitive performance in school would otherwise be the case. See http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fish/index.html for a discussion of how to achieve the benefits of fish while reducing any risks.
Benefits of Supplements
Omega-3 supplements are an important way to ensure that you are getting enough Omega-3 fatty acids for optimal brain and body health. The preferred form of supplementation is DHA and EPA from fish oils, cod liver oil, or calamari (squid) oil. Calamari oil is excellent form rich in DHA and EPA, especially for those with fish allergy concerns (or worried about sustainability of our fish supplies).
Typically the amount recommended depends on the primary reason you are taking the supplement. A general recommendation is to take enough of a supplement to ingest between 600 mg to 3g of combined DHA and EPA daily. Be sure to read the label as supplements have variable amounts of the “active ingredients” of DHA and EPA depending on the brand and type of oil or capsule. Thus to achieve these amounts you might need to take two to four or many more of 1000 mg (large!) soft gels, or 1-3 teaspoons of an oil a day. Be sure to let you doctor know if you are taking more than 3g of the active ingredients (DHA and EPA) because Omega-3’s thin the blood (thinning the blood is generally a good thing but may interact with other medical regimens you are pursuing, e.g. coumadin). Also be sure to purchase brands known to provide contaminant-free oils; the better companies have lab analyses proving “no detectible levels” of mercury, pcbs and dozens of other possible contaminants; these companies also properly process and package oils and capsules to prevent oxidation and spoilage.
Vegetarian alternatives include algae derived DHA/EPA or 2 Flaxseed Oil 1000 mg softgels (which typically each contain 450 mg ALA Omega-3). However, this is less optimal than supplementing with oils of a marine source because flaxseed oil contains the shorter chain ALA Omega-3 that needs to be converted by the body to DHA or EPA, and this is done much less efficiently as we age.
How do I find out what is best for me?
Dr. Nancy Emerson Lombardo can be reached by e-mail or phone for inquiries about what supplements would be best for you personally, and which brands are best. She also offers preferred nutritional supplements including some Omega-3 products through her website or by phone or email. |
