Why You Need To Know About Omega-3
Omega-3 is one of nature's superfoods. It's critical for the healthy functioning of many important parts of your body. Omega-3 supports your eyes, brain, heart, bones and joints to name a few!
Where Does Omega-3 Come From?
Omega-3 is primarily found in fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines.
This is why scientists have linked people who have more of these types of fish in their diets with having better health and living longer. The Japanese Okinawa islands contain the largest density of people living beyond 100 years old. Scientists believe a large part of that is the large amount of fish in the islanders' diet.
What if you're vegan or vegetarian?
If you follow one of these diets then you can't eat any fish, which is why many people are deficient in Omega-3. Although some plants contain Omega-3, it's not the right type for our bodies to readily process.
(More on this below on what to do about it).
Symptoms of Omega-3 Deficiency
If you're not getting enough Omega-3, then health problems can develop.
Are you experiencing any of the following?
- Dry skin
- Brittle nails
- Thin hair
- Poor sleep (insomnia)
- Feeling fatigued
- Joint pain
- Difficulty concentrating
- Dry eyes (especially if you spend a lot of time looking at screens)
If you are, then read on the learn what you can do.
Typical Solutions
The traditional advice is to eat 2-3 portions of cold-water fatty fish per week.
The problem with that is many people have seafood allergies, dislike the strong smell and taste or maintain vegan/vegetarian diets. Not to mention the time and cost of buying and cooking lots of fish.
The Common Mistake With Plants
It's true that many plants such as flaxseeds, walnuts and chia seeds contain Omega-3. However, most plant-based sources contain the wrong type that our bodies cannot readily process.
The 3 most important types of Omega-3 are called DHA, EPA and ALA.
Only DHA and EPA are the types that provide our bodies with so many health benefits (especially DHA). ALA must be converted by our bodies into the other types, but this conversion is inefficient. This means that most ALA just ends up being used for energy or stored just like normal fat.
Unfortunately, most plant-based sources only contain ALA. This common mistake has driven the popularity of foods such as kale, soybeans, chia seeds, flaxseeds and hemp. These can be healthy for other reasons, but they are ineffective in providing us with usable Omega-3 to substitute for animal sources.
A New Solution
Algae has emerged as a 100% plant-based option that contains the right types of Omega-3 (DHA and EPA).
So what is algae? It's a natural plant that grows in our oceans. In fact, it's where fish get their Omega-3 from, meaning algae is the original source of Omega-3 DHA & EPA in the marine food system.
The benefits of algae-based products are:
- 100% vegan and vegetarian friendly
- No fishy smell or taste
- More sustainable and better for our environment
- Reduces the problem of overfishing
- Cheaper than buying fresh fish
- Unlike most plants, it contains the right types of Omega-3 (DHA and EPA)
The downside is that algae isn't exactly an appetising ingredient. Luckily, it's now possible to buy Algae Omega-3 Capsules instead. These small softgels can simply be swallowed with water and give you all the Omega-3 you need.
If you recognise any of the symptoms above and want to find out more about Algae Omega-3 capsules, then click here to discover more about them.
