Sneak Omega 3 into Your Diet

Have you heard? If not, I’m proud to be the first to tell you - fat is healthy. From preventing strokes and heart disease to reducing inflammation, fat plays a big role in optimal wellness. The easiest way is to sneak omega 3 into your diet.

fatty acids Omega 3 (mackerel, camelina oil, rapeseed oil, organic egg, pumpkin and flax seeds, walnuts)

For decades, the health-conscious have been eyeballing labels and assessing their plates in order to avoid sugar, carbs, and fat. We now know that some fats, most notably polyunsaturated fats, aren't deserving of such a bad rap.

Tell me -

Do you have a history of fat phobia? Have you been abstaining from this misunderstood macro nutrient for so long that you don’t know where to begin?

Today we’re going to focus on my favorite sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

But wait!

Don’t start jotting down a shopping list just yet!  

Let’s lean in and see what makes heart-healthy omega-3 fats stand out from the artery-clogging fats we don’t want.

Why Omega-3?

Happy without fat?

Here’s a quick rundown of why you might want to change your mind and start eating more omega-3s:

Omega-3 isn’t the only essential fatty acid you should become more well acquainted with. It has a pretty interesting relationship with omega-6.

Omega-3 vs. Omega-6: A Quick Guide

Let’s start with the basics.

Omega-3 and omega-6 are groups of essential fatty acids (EFAs). The word “essential” means that these are the fats we need for better brain health, heart health, and cell repair.

Studies such as this one indicate that EFAs also reduce inflammation and boost immunity via the gut.

Omega-3 and omega-6 are also polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) both contain different EFAs.

Omega-3’s EFAs include docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

Omega-6’s main EFA is linoleic acid (LA), which first converts to gamma-linoleic acid (GLA), and then to arachidonic acid (AA).

Here’s where things get a little murky for omega-6’s reputation. While you do need the LA, too much AA can actually increase inflammation.

Yes, that’s the total opposite of what we intend to achieve.

The real reason we’re advised to increase our omega-3 intake is because Western diets are heavy on omega-6. Foods richest in omega-6 are not only more prevalent than omega-3, but include unhealthier options.

But wait, there's more:

Red meat and butter are obvious no-no’s for those cutting fat, although the oils are more worrisome to me. Corn oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, and safflower (vegetable) oil, all heavy in omega 6, are used to produce many foods. From frying to processing, omega-6 is on the verge of taking over.

This is important.

Pushing for more omega-3’s doesn’t mean you need to completely avoid omega-6’s - we are looking for more balance. A ratio of four omega-6’s to one omega-3 is a good starting point to build from.

Here is a short 3 minute video from Dr. Axe explaining the balance and benefits of omega-3 vs omega-6.

7 Best Ways to Sneak Omega 3 (Without Overthinking It)

With all of the different EFAs, PUFAs, and tricky synthesis factors, sorting out your feelings about omegas can be hard. Fortunately, you can’t go wrong when you incorporate the following into your diet.

1. Fish or algae. Fish is the best animal source of omega-3 fatty acids, providing DHA and EPA that your body won’t make on its own. Don’t be hard on yourself - fish don’t make DHA or EPA, either. It comes from the algae they eat.

Regular fish consumption isn’t as common in many parts of the United States as it is the world over. Many people also have understandable concerns about pollution and sustainability. If you’re in an area where a good piece of fish is hard to come by, look into algae oil.

Algae oil: best new superfood you haven’t tried yet? Some consider it to be the new coconut oil.

Algae is a little more exciting than fish for a few reasons.

For one, it’s friendly to vegan and vegetarian diets. Second, it doesn’t involve hunting down a pricey cut of wild salmon. Its status as a plant-based source of DHA is pretty incredible, since the other options here contain ALA.

ALA converts to EPA and DHA when eaten.

I’ll explain.

The catch is that you must eat a lot of ALA to approach EPA/DHA levels provided by algae or fish. I believe we have enough ALA-rich options to make it happen, with algae standing by as a shortcut.

Were you looking forward to more seafood?

Consider mussels. They’re more affordable and sustainable than popular kinds of fish, with plenty of omega-3s.

2. Cruciferous veggies. Specifically, Chinese broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. My favorite of the bunch, cauliflower, packs nearly 1500 mg of omega-3 fatty acids into a 200-calorie serving.

The best thing about using cauliflower to sneak omega 3 is that you’ll never get bored of it. No, really - it’s incredibly versatile. You can make pizza crust, tortillas, mock mashed potatoes, and more. It’s easy to use seasonings to make cauliflower taste different with each recipe.

Chia seeds expand and congeal in liquids, for example. This may not be ideal if you have a smooth, thin texture in mind for drinks, dips, and dressings. My favorite thing to have twice a week for breakfast is chia seed pudding.

I add ¼ of a cup of organic black chia seeds to ¾ of a cup of unsweetened coconut milk. I stir in vanilla extract and a little bit of maple syrup and refrigerate overnight.

Let me explain.

If pudding isn’t your favorite, try them in a smoothie, since the thickness meshes well with chia’s tendency to congeal. Like flax, chia is a good source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. I recommend storing them in the fridge as well.

5. Walnuts. One fourth of a cup of walnuts contains 2,664 mg of omega-3s. I’ve noticed that a lot of weight-conscious people are wary of walnuts and other nuts, likely due to fat content. They are indeed calorically dense, because they contain many beneficial nutrients.

I believe that walnuts and other nuts are a crucial part of a healthy diet. When eaten regularly, research indicates that nuts aren’t likely to add pounds. What they do add to your body is folate, biotin, antioxidants, vitamin E, and melatonin. And, oh yeah, the omega-3s.

Walnuts do contain higher levels of omega-6 fatty acids on top of those omega-3s. This should not deter you from nuts if you are avoiding unhealthier sources of omega-6, like those I already shared.

What about other nuts, such as cashews, macadamias, and brazil nuts?

These are all tree nuts just like walnuts, and can stand in as a decent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Avoid roasted nuts in favor of raw, where possible.

6. Sesame. Grown tired of adding all of these seeds to your smoothies and nuts to your breakfasts? Well-loved for many centuries, sesame takes many forms. You can use the seeds much as you would flax or chia, or you can experiment with tahini.

Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds. Combining tahini with other sources of omega-3 is a brilliant way to bump up your ratio without getting bored. Mix tahini with flaxseed oil to make a dressing for roasted cauliflower, or make some good old-fashioned humus. Just be sure to use an omega-3 oil in your recipe.

Here is something else pretty interesting:

To start...

Making your own tahini is so easy. It’s just oil and sesame seeds - that’s it! I still think it’s better to buy a jar first, so you know what texture and flavor to aim for.

7. Herbs - fresh and dried. I admit that this one came as a really pleasant surprise to me. My all-time favorite herb, fresh basil, comes with a megahit of 2,747 mg of omega-3 per 200 calories. Great way to sneak omega 3.

Basil is a very low-calorie food, so getting 200 calories-worth would be a challenge - unless you love pesto! Dried oregano rates about the same as fresh basil.

Spearmint and peppermint each offer over 1,000 mg per 200 calories. Again, consuming huge quantities of these low-calorie herbs would be difficult. I still back them as part of a diet with adequate amounts of omega-3's.

How do you do it?

Here is how...

It’s best to eat multiple plant sources of omega-3 in order to get enough ALAs for EPA or DHA conversion.

If you tried just one or two sources, you wouldn’t have enough variety in your diet to keep it going. Especially when we bear in mind that we need a lot of ALAs for the process.

Here’s why this recipe is so effective:

Herbs are antioxidant, antiviral, and rich in minerals and other phytonutrients. Spices like cloves and paprika contain omega-3 as well! You can sneak more of them into pretty much everything you eat - consider the omega-3s a bonus.

What About Supplementing with Fish Oil?

Conspicuously absent from my list of the best ways to sneak omega 3 is the all-popular fish oil supplement. Why is that, when the easiest way to “sneak” something is to swallow a pill and forget it?

It’s a really good sign that you’re asking these questions.

I’m committed to only sharing recommendations I really stand behind with you. I wouldn’t be sticking to that if my advice was to just go out and buy a bottle of pills. I’m frankly uncertain if you’d be getting what you paid for. The word on omega-3’s benefits has led to an oversaturated market stuffed with subpar supplements.

On top of the softgel scams hiding in the aisles, I believe that dietary adjustments are more effective overall. Sure, I can get behind a raw, whole food multi-vitamin, but I truly believe that food is the best medicine.

If you’re already getting great results from a fish oil supplement, keep going, as science may have your back. For maximum bio-availability that doesn’t require you to have quality capsules on hand, put the foods shared above in regular rotation.

Are you confused? 

Here Is The Bottom Line

If learning the difference between omegas has been a little confusing for you, you’re certainly not alone. 

Whole plant foods (and minimally processed, judiciously-selected oils) lead to better health.

Processed foods are generally associated with omega-6 EFAs, and this has been one cause of inflammation (disease). If we cut back on omega-6 and take care to include more omega-3, we’ll be back on track. You can do this daily, with or without a supplement, by making better choices.

I feel pretty lucky that I’ve already been including many of these things in my daily diet. Now I want to know what your plans are. 

What can you replace in your kitchen with one of my recommendations? Are you convinced that you need more omega-3 fatty acids? As usual, I’m happy to receive any questions you might have.