Chewing the Right Fat: Why omega-3 fats are good for your health

Although it may sound like the name of a Star Wars battleship, “The Omega-3” is actually a fat (or fatty acid) that our body needs to function efficiently.

There are three types of omega-3 fatty acids: DHA, EPA and ALA. Studies tend to show health benefits from the consumption of the DHA and EPA forms of omega-3 fatty acids, found in oily, cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, herring and halibut, and in fish-oil supplements.

The beneficial effects of ALA are not as well-documented. ALA  is contained in some nuts, pumpkin seeds and certain vegetable oils such as canola, flaxseed and olive oil. Your body also converts ALA into DHA and EPA.

Omega-3 fat is good news for your heart. Over the past decade, several major studies (including the U.S. Physicians' Health Study and the Nurses' Health Study) have shown that consumption of omega-3 significantly improves heart health and reduces the risk of heart complications.

In the Physicians' Study, men with the lowest levels of omega-3 in the blood were 81 percent more likely to suffer death from sudden heart failure than those with the highest levels in their blood.

Omega-3 fats help to keep your heart healthy by:

• Lowering triglyceride levels
• Reducing hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Reducing the risk of coronary heart disease

Omega-3s also benefit the rest of your body. For example, they can lessen the severity of inflammatory disorders such as arthritis or painful menstrual periods and may even help those with osteoporosis.

Omega-3s have also been shown to have a positive effect on mental health. Several studies in recent years have observed a higher incidence of depression among people who consume little or no omega-3 fats.

Not only are omega-3 fats good for you, they can also help improve the effectiveness of weight-loss programs.

Clinical studies show that people who follow a weight-loss program which incorporates exercise and a low-fat diet tend to have better control over their blood sugar and cholesterol levels when oily fish is a staple of their diet.

On the other side of the weight equation, people suffering from anorexia nervosa generally also have extremely low levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids in their diet. Many experts now use treatment programs that include omega-3s to help avoid deficiency problems and improve mental health.

The American Heart Association recommends eating fish, especially the oily fish listed above, twice a week. However, some types of fish may contain high levels of mercury and other nasties which make them unsuitable choices for women who are planning to become pregnant, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or for young children. For more information on mercury in fish, click on the link at the end of this article.

If you are contemplating taking omega-3 supplements, be sure to only purchase supplements from a reputable company which certifies that their products are free of contaminants. It's also important to consult a medical professional before taking supplements, so they can assess whether supplements are suitable for your particular circumstances and advise you on any potential side effects.

Although the benefits of omega-3 fats are numerous, in general Americans eat too much fat, particularly saturated and trans fats. Fat calories should only make up 20% to 30% of daily calorie intake, and only 10% of total calories should be from saturated or trans fats. 

Type of Fat	Found in foods such as:	Recommended daily intake
Saturated or trans fats	Whole milk, cheese, butter, cream, fatty meats and sausages, and processed foods	10% or less of total calories
Monounsaturated fat	Canola and olive oils, canola margarine, peanuts, avocados	10 to 15% of total calories
Polyunsaturated fat	Canola oil and margarine, fish, other omega-3 foods listed above	10% or less of total calories