Omega 3: benefits and properties. Find out everything there is to know!
Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids are a type of healthy fat that is necessary and beneficial for our body. They are called essential fatty acids because our body is unable to automatically produce them from other substances as it does with other fats, therefore, we must ingest and obtain them from both food and dietary supplements.
They are essential because they serve to control lipid metabolism, blood clotting or blood pressure, among other things.
Why are they healthy fats?
Not all types of fats are created equal. Fatty acids are health beneficial lipids, they are called polyunsaturated fats and are absolutely necessary in the body. They do not make you fat as some myths say about this type of fat, but on the contrary, they are good for lowering cholesterol and improving diabetes and overweight problems. That is, including them in your diet can help you lose weight, if you do it in moderation and correctly.However, not all fats are good, for example we know that trans fats (unsaturated fatty acids) are bad fats. These industrially produced fats such as pastries, fried foods or most frozen precooked foods (pizzas, lasagna, precooked, etc.) are harmful to the body, which can cause overweight or cardiovascular problems.
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What benefits do they have for health?
Fatty acids (Omega 3, 6 and 9) are very important and have numerous benefits, including:
- They are a powerful anti-inflammatory and a strong protection of the cells of the body. (They improve arthritis or intestinal inflammation)
- They improve heart function and blood pressure (avoid arrhythmias).
- They help to lose weight.
- They reduce insomnia (the DHA present in Omega 3 is related to melatonin).
- They control the blood level of cholesterol and triglycerides.
- They improve brain development and the ability to learn (memory).
- They are important for fighting asthma or allergies.
- They improve hair quality and skin elasticity.
In addition, they are particularly recommended for pregnant women because they improve the developmental conditions during the baby's gestation, for example:
- They help the child's vision development.
- They prevent premature birth.
- They promote the brain development of the child.
- They reduce the chances of postpartum depression.
How to consume Omega 3 or where to find it?
The essential fatty acids, Omega 3, 6 and 9 must be integrated with the diet, because the body is not able to generate them, as we mentioned earlier. So it is important to consume certain foods that contain them, such as:
- Blue fish: salmon, anchovies, sardines, tuna, mackerel.
- Nuts: walnuts, almonds, peanuts,
- Olive oil and linseed oil
- Liver
- Seeds: chia, flax and pumpkin seeds
- Green leafy vegetables: such as rocket or spinach.
- Edible seaweed
Also, if you follow a vegan diet, some experienced doctors recommend supplementing the diet with an extra dose of Omega 3, 6 and 9 in our body through food supplements. They are capsules with a high dose of these fatty acids that will bring you many short and long term benefits.
Remember to always take the dose recommended by the manufacturer, usually one or two capsules a day is an appropriate amount.
The best supplements that contain Omega 3
These fish oil capsules include 800 mg of EPA and 400 mg of DHA and vitamin E. They are free from genetic modification and are free from gluten, dairy, preservatives, bulking agents or thickeners. Furthermore, this fish oil has been obtained through a certified sustainable fishing method.
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Krill oil is a crustacean oil rich in Omega 3 that some experts say is easier for the body to assimilate and absorption is faster. It also contains high doses of phospholipids and powerful antioxidants.
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Seaweed is another powerful element with high doses of Omega 3 and 6. You can consume them by including them in your diet or by taking these high quality capsules based on spirulina and chlorella algae, two of the best algae in the world considered superfoods.
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