Your Omega-3 Family Shopping List

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Your Omega-3 Family Shopping List

 

You can hardly go to the supermarket without coming across dozens of whole and

fortified functional foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

 

More and more research shows that omega-3s lower your risk of heart disease and

may also help depression, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. It's no wonder

that omega-3s have become a hot nutrition trend.

 

These healthy fats are being added to everything from eggs to waffles, from

peanut butter to soy. You can also get them naturally in a can of salmon or

tuna, or from fatty fish at the fish counter.

 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Which Type Is Best?

Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of three fats: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA),

eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

 

Once eaten, the body turns ALA into DHA and EPA, though not very efficiently --

some estimates say the conversion is as low as 5%. Thus, many dietitians

recommend we focus most of our efforts on consuming DHA and EPA fatty acids.

 

While there's no standard recommendation yet for how many omega-3s we need,

suggestions range between 500 to 1,000 milligrams daily. You can find over 500

milligrams in a can of tuna or a few ounces of salmon. Some fortified foods

offer 100 milligrams or more.

 

Shopping for Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Ready to get more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet? We've put together this

quick shopping list to take along the next time you head to the supermarket.

 

Fish: Top Source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Seafood is a great source for DHA and EPA omega-3s, both essential for healthy

hearts and brains. Look for seafood rich in omega-3s, such as:

 

a.. Halibut

b.. Herring

c.. Mackerel

d.. Oysters

e.. Salmon

f.. Sardines

g.. Trout

h.. Tuna (not light)

The Cold Case: Fortified Dairy, Juice Foods

Functional foods are defined as any food that provides health benefits beyond

basic nutrition. These days, supermarkets are brimming with foods enhanced with

omega-3s, from fortified juice to eggs produced by chickens fed omega-3s in

their grain. In the cold case, you'll likely find the following foods fortified

with omega-3 fatty acids:

 

a.. Eggs

b.. Margarine

c.. Milk

d.. Juice

e.. Soy Milk

f.. Yogurt

 

Grains and Nuts With Omega-3s

Bread, pasta, and waffles are some of the foods most commonly enriched with

omega-3s. You'll also find them in whole foods like seeds and nuts. When

shopping look for omega-3s in:

 

a.. Bread

b.. Cereal

c.. Cookies

d.. Crackers

e.. Flaxseed

f.. Flour

g.. Granola

h.. Oatmeal

i.. Pancake and waffle mixes

j.. Pasta

k.. Peanut butter

l.. Pumpkin seeds

m.. Pizza, packaged

n.. Flour tortillas

o.. Waffles

p.. Walnuts

 

Fresh Produce With ALA Omega-3s

Vegetables, especially green leafy ones, are rich in ALA, one form of omega-3

fatty acids. Although ALA isn't as powerful as the other omega-3 fatty acids,

DHA and EPA, these vegetables offer a host of benefits, from fiber to

antioxidants, in addition to omega-3.

 

a.. Brussels sprouts

b.. Kale

c.. Mint

d.. Parsley

e.. Purslane

f.. Spinach

g.. Watercress

Oil With ALA Omega-3s

Oils can be a good source of ALA omega-3s, too, including:

 

a.. Canola oil

b.. Cod liver oil

c.. Flaxseed oil

d.. Mustard oil

e.. Soybean oil

f.. Walnut oil

Baby Food With Omega-3s

Research suggests that the omega-3 fatty acid DHA may help babies develop

cognitively, which is why you can find them in:

 

a.. Baby cereals

b.. Infant formula

c.. Jarred baby food

 

Other Omega 3-Enhanced Products

Whole and fortified functional foods aren't the only places you'll find omega-3

fatty acids; they're cropping up just about everywhere. You can also find them

in:

 

a.. Supplements

b.. Gummy vitamins

c.. Meal replacement bars

d.. Protein powders

e.. Weight loss shakes

f.. Pet food

g.. Skin care creams

h.. Tanning lotions

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Talk to Your Doctor

There's little danger of getting too many omega-3s in the typical American diet,

even with supplementation, but it's worth noting that although fish oil

supplements (EPA/DHA) are safe, they do have an anti-clotting feature and might

not be right for people on anti-clotting medication. There's little evidence to

suggest that an intake of less than 3 grams per day would increase the risk of

significant bleeding. DHA has not been associated with bleeding.

 

Have questions about how best to add omega-3s to your diet? Talk to your health

care provider.

 

http://www.webmd.com/diet/omega-3-dha-9/omega-3-grocery-list?ecd=wnl_din_042009

 

Best Wishes,

Scarlet

http://www.youngliving.org/scarlet