Fish oil is good for youI’m sure most of you have at least heard of Omega-3 at one time or another. The American Heart Association suggests that we get enough Omega-3 in our diet through fish, like salmon, as well as plant sources (soy, walnuts, flax).

Omega-3 has many health benefits, including protecting the heart by reducing blood clots and preventing irregular heartbeats that could cause a heart attack. Most people don’t get enough omega-3. I definitely know I have not been eating enough Omega-3 so I recently made an effort to make sure I am getting enough.

I did a little more reading on the subject and found that cold water fish like salmon, or fish oil is the best source of Omega-3 since it contains both of the key fatty acids (EPA and DHA). Plant based sources contain alpha-linolenic acid which is less potent but still important. Here are some top sources of Omega-3:

  1. Flax Seeds- 2.7 grams per each two tablespoon serving
  2. Walnuts- 2.3 grams for each 1/4 cup serving
  3. Salmon- 2.1 grams per 4 oz serving
  4. Scallops- 1.1 grams per 4 oz serving
  5. Soy Beans- 1 gram per 1 cup serving
  6. Halibut- .6 grams per 4 oz serving
  7. Shrimp- .4 grams per 4 oz serving
  8. Tofu- .4 grams per 4 oz serving

There is another article on the Heart Association site that talks about suggested amounts of Omega-3. Based on that, I figured that I need about 2 grams a day of Omega-3 in my diet. Now, both my wife and I like Salmon, but we won’t be eating it every day any time soon. So, I decided to use flax seeds and fish oil tablets in addition to Salmon, Walnuts, and Soy to make sure I get enough.

On days that we don’t eat fish I use the fish oil tablets. I take them at dinner. To get some plant based omega-3 I bought some ground flax seeds that I mix in with my cereal or yogurt. In addition, I eat some walnuts just about every day. We also eat a decent amount of soy, either milk or tofu.

When all is said and done, I think I get enough omega-3 each day by mixing up my diet. It doesn’t take much effort and the benefits are worth it.

Creative Commons License photo credit: DjNasser