If you thought all fats were bad, think again. We've all seen the term omega-3 fatty acids on the back of tuna labels or when shopping for vitamins. that means they have some nutritional value, right? But how much stock should we actually put into these fatty acids? According to science and health professionals, a whole lot. The Good FatsOmega-3s are powerful essential fats and nutrients that keep our body functioning properly, And because we cannot produce these fats naturally, we depend on food and/or supplements to gain the benefits of the fatty acids. There are three types of omega-3s: EPA, DHA, and ALA. EPA and DHA are found in seafood and ALA is found in plants. In the simplest of terms, these good fatty acids are a form of polyunsaturated fat. These types of fats have more than one "open slot". Meaning carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms can latch on to available slots, and therefore giving our cells everything they need to do their job! If you want a quick refresher on the saturated vs. unsaturated fat, check out this previous post Health Like Me did a while back! Benefits
Foods That are Natural in Omega-3 Fatty Acids
If any of these foods aren't your cup of tea, you can opt for taking supplements! When searching for a good omega-3 supplement, look to make sure it has DHA and EPA as main ingredients. As for dosage level, the FDA recommends taking up to 5,000 mg daily. And if swallowing capsules/pills triggers a gag reflex, try cod liver oil. Cod liver oil is a popular liquid option to obtain the necessary omega-3 nutrients. ![]() Overall, we can't beat the benefits that omega-3 fatty acids brings to our bodies. So why not get started on introducing these good fats into our diets. It's an investment our health will gladly thank us for!
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