The Nutrition Addition: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Something's fishy.
Round three of Nutrition by Addition is taking on Omega-3 fatty acids, a key nutrient that some people struggle to get enough of! There are two overarching umbrellas of fats, saturated fats and unsaturated fats.
Saturated fats are mostly found in animal products, such as meats, dairy, and eggs, as well as in some oils. If the fat you’re looking at is solid at room temperature, it’s probably a saturated fat.
There are two secondary types of unsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. All unsaturated fats are generally known for promoting heart health and are mainly found in a variety of plant-based foods, like nuts. seeds, and vegetable oils. Omega-3s are one type of polyunsaturated fat. One of their most important functions is giving structure to the cell membrane and assisting with cellular communication.
Remember that this series is to help us learn more about our bodies and how to add nutrition to our lives without any stress or diet-y messages alongside. If this post doesn’t feel right for you right now in your journey, no worries! 1
Why do I care?
Messaging on social media about fat intake can be stressful and confusing. Through the years, trends have swung from fat-free diets to keto diets and back again. Oftentimes, the messaging around fats ranges from extreme to extreme; one frame of thinking is that fat in your food = fat on your body, and the other is that eating lots of fat will lead to fat loss. It can be difficult to separate inaccurate messaging about fats from their actual function. Today, we are focusing on learning about Omega-3 fatty acids and how to go about applying that information to our diet.
Omega-3s are essential in all of our diets. They are known for lowering triglyceride levels, lowering blood pressure, and raising (health-promoting) HDL cholesterol. Many things can raise triglycerides, like certain medical conditions (diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease), high alcohol intake, diet & exercise, and certain medications. High triglyceride levels can be concerning because they can lead to heart-related diseases and raise the risk of a cardiac event. Omega-3s help prevent this by lowering the amount of triglycerides present in your body. They mainly do this through reducing the liver’s production of carriers for triglycerides and promoting the usage of fat for energy. Essentially, Omega-3s are one more food component that helps us maintain homeostasis and keep our bodies healthy and functioning.
Where do I find them?
Omega 3 refers to the double bond that occurs in a polyunsaturated fat at the 3rd carbon from the methyl end of the carbon chain, for any of my chemistry nerds out there. Our bodies can’t make this type of fat on our own, which is why we consider Omega-3s an “essential nutrient”. There are short-chain omega-3s, referred to as Alpha Linoleic (ALA) omega-3 fatty acids, and there are long-chain omega-3s, referred to as eicosapentaenoic (EPA) or docosahexaenoic (DHA) omega-3 fatty acids. The longer chain forms are what we utilize within our bodies.
When we eat alpha-linoleic (ALA) forms of omega-3 fatty acids, the form found mostly in plants, we can convert some of it to longer chain, complex forms of omega-3s (EPA or DHA), but only about 10% gets converted overall. That’s why it’s more efficient to eat fish or other sources of EPA and DHA directly. Fun fact, the fish we eat can’t make EPA or DHA omega-3s themselves either. They eat microalgae that contain omega-3s, and over time, it builds up in their tissues, which is what makes them a great source of this nutrient.
I hope you’re craving sushi because most EPA and DHA sources of Omega-3s are found in abundance in fatty fish, like salmon or tuna. Eating sufficient Omega-3s can require some intentionality if fatty fish are not a regular part of your diet. Luckily, ALA Omega 3’s can be found in nuts and seeds, like flaxseeds, chia seeds, seaweed, canola oil, soybean oil, kidney beans, and walnuts and your body will do the work of converting these to a more useful form.
Currently, supplementation of Omega-3 fatty acids is not recommended for the general population, and most people do not need to supplement unless they are recommended to do so by a medical provider. If you’re concerned that you don’t eat many food sources of these fats, bring it up with your primary care physician and see what they think about adding a supplement. Usually, supplements are only recommended for people with high triglycerides and/or cardiovascular disease. For most people, it is best to focus on getting Omega-3s from your diet because supplementing can sometimes cause negative side effects like bleeding, irregular heart rhythm, or can interfere with other medications. Most Omega-3 supplements are a form of fish oil, but for vegetarians, algal oil is an option.
Types of Omega-3s and where to find them:
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) & Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA):
salmon (canned or fresh)
mackerel
tuna (canned or fresh)
sardines
herring
algal oil
seaweed
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA):
flaxseed oil or ground flax seeds. Get pre-ground or grind them yourself before eating to get the most nutritional bang for your buck - they’re hard for your body to break down in their full form.
chia seeds
walnuts
canola and soybean oil
mayonnaise
edamame
pinto and kidney beans
It is ideal to include both DHA and ALA sources of Omega-3s in your diet.
Make it easy!
Shelf Stable Options
Stock your pantry with nuts and seeds! Make some chia seed pudding, sprinkle some hemp seeds and walnuts on your oatmeal, or add some flaxseed to a smoothie.
Snack on some dried seaweed or add it to a meal. It tastes good on top of rice, sprinkled on popcorn, or with salads.
Keep a can (or two!) of kidney beans on hand to add into your chili recipe or to enjoy with some rice.
Have soybean or canola oil in your pantry for high-heat cooking like pan frying or roasting. They have a higher smoke point than other fats and are also a good source of ALA omega-3s.
For adding extra flavor to dishes, try drizzling them with flax seed, hemp seed, or perilla oil after cooking.
Get refried beans on the side of your go-to Mexican order or learn how to make them at home.
Canned fish, like salmon or tuna, provides some omega-3s and can be a convenient option.
Try adding anchovies on top of your pizza.
Fresh Options
Add salmon to your weekly dinner rotation and experiment with different seasonings like lemon, honey, garlic, espresso, etc.
Pan fry mackerel and enjoy with a side of rice.
Try tuna tacos or a tuna poke bowl - bonus points for throwing some edamame into your poke bowls or pinto beans into your tacos.
Frozen Options
Heat some Edamame in the microwave for an afternoon snack. I like mine with some green dragon hot sauce (from Trader Joe’s), a squeeze of lime, and a little soy sauce!
Keep frozen fatty fish on hand for a quick, easy protein option.
Pre-make pancakes, waffles, or breads with flax or chia seeds and freeze for quick and easy breakfasts.
Blend juice, frozen fruit, yogurt, and flax or chia seeds and freeze in popsicle molds for a homemade alternative to popsicles. You could also just drink your concoction on the spot as a smoothie!
Getting Full
We’re meeting for Getting Full on July 15th at 11 am Central Time (9 am Pacific, 10 am Mountain, and 12 pm Eastern)!! We’ll be focusing on body image and discussing ways to shift our relationship with our bodies. Bring breakfast, a snack, or lunch, and we’ll dive into some group support. Message me if you have specific questions or comments you’d like to discuss! I hope to see you there!
The next couple Getting Full sessions will be at the following times:
July: Tuesday July 15th at 11am CT, body image support
August: Monday August 18th at 1pm CT, Intuitive Eating basics + Q&A
September: Tuesday September 16th at 11am CT, Challenging Unhelpful Nutrition Beliefs
Mark your calendars, I’ll send links as we get closer to the group date!
Fully Myself
I am still recruiting members for Fully Myself starting later this month! See the details below and sign up to participate here.
Remember that subscribers (paid or unpaid) get special discounts! Message me for more details or to ask any questions you might have about the group.
