Make sure to take in your Omega-3s

10/24/08 Posted in Cover Story Sherri Powers  |  1 Comment

For just about every product available at your local grocer there is usually a better-for-you, fat free or reduced fat version on the shelf next to it. Consumers, more than ever, are opting for the lower fat version of their favorite foods in an effort to get healthy.

The amount of reduced fat products on the market can mislead consumers into thinking the less fats they ingest daily the better. Although some fats, like trans fat, should be cut out of diets, good fats such as Omega 3 fatty acids are essential to a healthy lifestyle.

“Our society seems to be fat phobic,” registered dietitian Amy Hanover, MS, RD said.

“People are preoccupied about what the foods they consume don’t have in them. Instead, people should be more concerned about what their foods have to offer them nutritionally.”

Don’t limit your intake

By limiting fat intake consumers are losing out on Omega 3 fatty acids in their diet, she said. Omega 3’s are proven to protect against heart disease, improve the health of diabetics, reduce depression, reduce hyper activity in children, and prevent dementia and Alzheimers.

Docosahexaenoic acid, DHA, is one of the three fatty acids and like the other two is essential to good health, especially in young children.

“DHA is one of the most important omega 3 acids,” Hanover said.

The human brain is more than 60 percent fat and requires DHA acid, which has to come entirely from dietary sources, to allow for fluidity and smooth transmission of brain synapses, she said.

Without DHA, nurons will not fire properly and brain performance is sacrificed. “In fetal and infant development this fatty acid is crucial,” Hanover said. “It’s also vital in adults, but particularly important during development.”

The fatty acids in Omega 3’s like DHA, should be consumed every day in order to obtain their benefits, she said.

“People are getting smarter about reducing trans fat from their diets,” she said. “However, they are forgetting to add the good fats to their diets. Getting a daily dose of these essential fatty acids is easier than many people think.”

Sources to consider

Some good sources of Omega 3 fatty acids are cold water fish, walnuts and egg yolks, she said. Some egg brands like Egglands Best Eggs are even fortified with high quality protein.

“There are some product lines available that offer common foods that are fortified with Omega 3 DHA,” Hanover said.

“A company called Smart Balance offers mayo, margarine, cooking oil, butter stick for baking, peanut butter and flax oil that are all fortified with DHA acid.”

Flax oil, derived from the seeds of the flax plant, allows essential fatty acids to be easily consumed by adding the oil or seeds to food, Hanover said.

“A teaspoon of flax oil can be added to salads, potato salad, yogurt, cottage cheese, a smoothie or anything else that will hide the oil,” she said. “You can also grind up actual flax seeds and sprinkle them onto your morning cereal or bake them into bread.”

It is important to grind the seeds, instead of consuming them whole, or they will go right through the gastrointestinal system.

“With a little pre-planning, these essential fatty acids can be incorporated into a healthy diet allowing for consumers to get the good fats they need while staying away from the ones they don’t,” Hanover said.

by Sherri Powers