Unsaturated omega 3 fatty acids are on everyone’s lips these days – it turns out that the right supply of them in the diet has a direct influence on the state of our health. In the era of widespread allergies, atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart attacks, obesity or cancer, we need to care about our diet and balance it in a way that provides the most valuable ingredients. One of them is indeed omega 3 – the deficiency of it means deteriorated well-being, and in a longer run higher risk of developing diseases of affluence.

Omega 3 – what has the highest amounts of it?

Omega 3 acids are mostly EPA and DHA acids. Although the body can synthesize DHA and EPA out of ALA, these are minuscule amounts – which is why we need to get them out of the diet. The richest sources of the ALA, or the alpha – linolenic acid are green vegetable leaves, walnuts and cold pressed plant oils.

The richest sources of the omega 3 DHA and EPA acids, on the other hand, are: – fish: sardines, mackerel, salmons, herrings, trouts – seafood – cold pressed oils, especially rapeseed, linseed or soy oils – nuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds – flaxseed – eggs and free range poultry.

The daily requirement for omega 3 acids is about 2 g. Is it easy to get this much from the diet? We would have to eat a serving of fish everyday – but it’s hard to find quality saltwater fish that is free from harmful contaminations. On top of that, it’s not just the amount of omega 3 acids that is important for health but its proportion relative to omega 6 acids. And our diet contains way too much of omega 6 acids. And it’s a limited omega 3 supply and disturbed omega 3 to omega 6 ratio that are an indication for supplementation of omega 3 acids.

The influence of omega 3 on health

First and foremost, unsaturated omega 3 fatty acids show anti-inflammatory properties. It allows them to support immunity, limit the development of allergies and autoimmune diseases. But that’s not all – omega 3 are essential for proper functioning of the circulatory and nervous system, they take care of the condition of skin and hair, they support eyesight. They protect bones and joints, limit development of certain cancers, have a positive impact on functioning of the body at every stage of life.

Supplementation of omega 3 acids is the best preventive treatment of many illnesses. Getting just few hundred milligrams of omega 3 from a supplement is enough to replenish the supply of fatty omega 3 acids in the diet and have a positive impact on the health of a child or an adult or an elder. And all without worrying about overdosing omega 3 – such doses are completely safe.