Have you ever wondered which omega 3 foods contain the highest amounts of this essential fatty acid? Most people fail to pay attention to the importance of this nutrient which explains why a lot of people are deficient in omega 3 fatty acids.
Omega 3 fat acids are essential fatty acids which mean that they are needed by the body but the body is unable to synthesize it. We can obtain omega 3 through the foods we eat or by taking omega 3 supplements like fish oil capsules.
Although omega 3 may be obtained from foods with omega 3, not all foods are created equal and they differ in the type of omega 3 they contain as well as in the amount. There are three kinds of omega 3 fatty acids, namely ALA, DHA, and EPA.
ALA omega 3 foods are mainly plant sources like flax seed, soy beans, walnuts, tofu, kidney beans, strawberries, and broccoli. DHA omega 3 foods include fatty fish like tuna, salmon, herring, and mackerel, as well as eggs and organ meats like liver. EPA can be obtained from fatty fish as well.
Among the three types of omega 3 fatty acids, DHA is considered to be most important followed by EPA. ALA needs to be converted to DHA before it can be utilized by the body and the conversion rate is really low. DHA and EPA are both found in the highest amounts in fatty fish so eating at least two servings of these kinds of fish is recommended to get the omega 3 the body needs.
While eating omega 3 foods is generally considered to be better than supplements, more and more people prefer supplements for a variety of reasons. One of the major reasons is that eating the fish itself can be harmful for the health due to the high levels of contaminants in their bodies like mercury and lead.
Fish oil capsules, however, can be purified so that toxins and impurities are eliminated from the oil. Fish oil capsules, in order to be really pure, should undergo a process called molecular distillation to ensure that it is safe for human consumption.
Aside from being more pure and safe than eating fish, supplements are also more convenient and you know exactly how much omega 3 you are getting. A supplement should always have both DHA and EPA with DHA having a higher content than EPA.
Whether you choose foods or supplements, just make sure that you provide your body with the omega 3 it needs to help keep you healthy.
Shehla Smith attributes her good health to her omega 3 intake. She believes in the supplements and shares her personal experiences at [http://omega3reference.com]. If you want to know why Shehla thinks so highly of the supplement then please head over to her website at [http://omega3reference.com] for more information.
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