Some nutrition headlines of late encourage you to boost your intake of omega-3 fats with tuna, salmon, flaxseeds and walnuts. But should you? And if so, why? What are the benefits for the general public and for people at risk for or who have heart disease?
WHAT ARE OMEGA-3 FATS AND WHAT FOODS ARE THEY IN?
Consider omega-3 fats one of the good, or healthy, fats. Omega-3 fats are found in two sizes and types. The long omega-3 fats are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are found mostly in oily fish. The short omega-3 fats are alpha-linolenic acid (LNA) and are found mostly in plant-based foods, such as soy products, canola oil and flaxseeds. The plant-based sources of omega-3 fats don't have as much impact on heart health as the ones in oily fish, but are still worth eating.
HOW DO OMEGA-3 FATS KEEP YOUR HEART HEALTHY?
Experts don't completely know how omega-3 fats work. However, the American Heart Association (AHA) believes that there is now enough research to recommend that some people who have heart disease and others who are at risk for heart disease get more omega-3 fats.
HOW MUCH OMEGA-3 FAT DO YOU NEED TO GET THE BENEFITS?
The amount of omega-3 fats you should get depends on your age, situation in life (extra caution should be taken with children and women who are pregnant and breast feeding because of the possible extra mercury they may get from eating more fish) and your risk for or presence of heart disease. It appears that everyone, including the general healthy public, can benefit from two to three servings per week of oily fish and use of plant sources of omega-3 fats.
A piece of good news for Americans is that canned tuna and salmon have the highest levels of the omega-3 fats according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These two fish are among the top 10 fish that Americans eat most often. In addition, the AHA recommends that some people use a fish oil supplement to get even more omega-3-fats. They suggest that people with heart disease get 1,000 mg of fish oil per day and that people with a triglyceride level above normal (above 150 mg/dL) get 2,000 to 4,000 mg. The AHA further suggests that you discuss the use of a fish oil supplement with your health care provider. The AHA cautions that high intakes of fish oils can cause bleeding in some people. They note that more fish oil supplements aren't necessarily better.
REMEMBER THE SATURATED AND TRANS FATS, TOO
Keep in mind that these recommendations from the AHA do not disregard the very strong advice to decrease the amount of saturated and trans fats you eat. By far, it is these fats that have the most impact on your blood cholesterol levels. You should think of your efforts to eat more omega-3 fats as something else you can do to keep your heart healthy.
EAT 2-3 SERVINGS PER WEEK OF THE FOLLOWING OILY FISH:
- salmon in all its forms: fresh, smoked, pickled and canned
- mackerel (Atlantic, cooked = 1,100 mg)
- lake trout
- albacore tuna (white canned in water = 730 mg)
- herring (pickled = 414 mg)
- anchovies
Prepare and eat these fish in healthful ways: use them on a salad, poach, steam or broil the fish of your choice. (Note: The content of omega-3 fat per 3 ounce serving as eaten is listed).
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT OMEGA-3-FATS CAN:
- decrease the incidence of an irregular heart beat, which can lead to sudden death from a heart attack or stroke.
- prevent blood clots from forming and prevent these blood clots from sticking to artery walls. This helps prevent heart attack and stroke.
- decrease triglyceride levels in people whose levels are elevated.
- reduce buildup of plaque on artery walls, which slows down the narrowing of the heart's arteries.
- improve health of arteries.
- lower blood pressure slightly.
PRIORITY NUMBER ONE: A HEALTHY EATING PLAN
A clear message from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is to eat a wide array of healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy foods, lean meats and heart healthy oils to get all the vitamins and minerals you need. If you regularly eat fewer than 2,000 calories a day, you may not get all the vitamins and minerals you need. If you need to fill in a few nutrition gaps, then consider a multivitamin and mineral supplement.
- If you have diabetes, take your diabetes medicines. If you think your blood glucose may be getting too low from a dietary supplement you start to take, talk with your health care provider about decreasing the doses of your diabetes medicines if you want to continue to take the supplement.
- Keep in mind that your prescription diabetes medicines, taken in the correct doses, will be more likely to lower your blood glucose than dietary supplements.
- Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement for starters. This, in addition to a healthy eating plan, gives you an insurance policy that you get enough of the essential vitamins and minerals you need.
- Spend your money wisely. Try supplements that have the most positive research supporting them.
- Start one supplement at a time. Take the supplement in the recommended dose and use it for a month to observe how it works for you.
- Be aware that though side effects from recommended doses of most supplements are rare, they can happen. Also be aware that some supplements interact with other supplements or prescribed medicines. This is one more reason to discuss the use of dietary supplements with your Walgreens pharmacist or health care provider. Buy quality products that are made in the U.S. Look for USP, NF, TruLabel or Consumer Labs on the label. Buy products that have expiration dates.
