From boosting brain health to reducing inflammation, Omega 3 can help with all kinds of health concerns

You may have seen ‘Omega 3’ emblazoned on food packaging, or heard of people taking the somewhat unpleasant-sounding cod liver oil capsules. But the chances are, unless you’re already an expert, you’ve only got a vague idea about the benefits of Omega 3.

To find out more about this nutrient, and how to get enough of it in your diet, we speak to Dr. Vegan’s consultant nutritionist Shona Wilkinson.

What is Omega 3 and how does the body process it? 

Shona: Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid which is required by the body to make something called prostaglandins series 3 (anti-inflammatory hormones). Omega 3 oils are an integral part of cell membranes throughout the body and affect the function of the cell receptors in these membranes.

Omega 3 contains EPA and DHA which are the beneficial compounds. If the Omega 3 is a vegan source, it will contain ALA instead of DHA and EPA.  The body then has to convert the ALA into EPA and DHA. The downside is that an estimated 90% of the population are poor at converting ALA into EPA and DHA, and so we need to consume a considerable amount.

Animal derived sources come in the form of EPA and DHA which can be used directly by the body. 

 What are the benefits of Omega 3? 

Shona: Some of the key benefits of Omega 3 are as follows.

• Brain health: DHA helps our brains function normally (through food containing 40mg of DHA per 100g). Research shows that fish oils may help low mood, reduce anxiety, support memory and protect our brain cells, although these claims have not been officially approved yet.
• Cardiovascular health: DHA can help protect you against heart related concerns, like high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels. For this benefit, the intake of DHA should be at a minimum of 2g per day and for the source to also have some EPA. 
• Inflammation: Research confirms that the Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil can help reduce inflammation. Studies are being done with rheumatoid arthritis, gut related inflammatory conditions such as ulcerative colitis, hormonal imbalances, dry eye syndrome, inflammation after intense exercise as well as healing and repair.
• Fish oil also helps us to absorb other fat-soluble nutrients, like Vitamin A, D, E and K. Consumption of fish also provides you with a good source of protein.
• Eye health: Particularly important for our children, a daily intake of 100mg of DHA contributes to the normal development of visual health in infants up to the age of one.
• Baby health: When carrying your little one in the womb, or lactating, the recommended amounts is a daily intake of 200mg of DHA in addition to the usual recommended intake of omega 3 fatty acids. DHA is found to contribute to the normal eye, brain and immune development of the foetus and breastfed babies.

What can happen if we don’t get enough Omega 3?

Shona: The signs are not always obvious, but can show as dry skin, poor memory, poor cardiovascular health and poor eyesight.

What are the different forms of Omega 3? 

Shona: You can get Omega 3 through supplements made from either fish oil or algae (a vegan source), or from different foods. 

How can we include more Omega 3 in our diets? 

Shona: There are plenty of ways to get Omega 3 through the foods we eat. 

Chia seeds — These contain ALA, so they need to converted in the body. You can get 17,552mg of omega 3 per 100g. This may seem like a lot, but we first need to convert it into EPA and DHA. An average serving of chia seeds in a chia pudding is 30g.

Mustard seed oil — A whopping 5,900mg of ALA per 100g! Use on salads or straight off the spoon.

Oregano — There’s 4,180mg ALA in 100g of dried leaf Oregano. Add it to dishes for a flavourful meal. 100g is a lot of oregano for one meal however!

Oily fish — These contain DHA and EPA. Salmon contains 2,018mg Omega 3 per 100g, Mackerel 1,422mg per 100g and herring 2,218mg per 100g. 100g of fish is an average portion size. Select wild fish where possible as it tends to contain less contaminants.

Walnuts and walnut oil — Great sources of ALA. Walnuts contain 2,006mg of Omega 3 per 100g. The oil contains 10,401mg per 100g. Use as a salad dressing but avoid cooking with it as it may denature the structure. 

Oysters — With EPA and DHA, there’s 601mg of Omega 3 per 100g. That’s one large Omega hit!

Spinach — Containing ALA—371mg per 100g—spinach is worth adding to your diet. I recommend trying creamed spinach, a delicious Romanian recipe made with spinach, garlic and milk.

Chinese broccoli — Containing ALA, 258mg per 100g. Chinese broccoli is different from English broccoli. Try adding it into a stir fry for a Chinese twist or eating it raw with a dip.

Sesame seeds — 236mg of ALA per 100g. Sesame seeds are delicious added to cooking or eaten as Tahini in dips such as hummus.

Flax seeds and flax oil — These contain ALA. Flax seeds contains 27g of Omega 3 per 100g, while the oil contains 45.26g per 100mg. Use the oil as a dressing on salads. Avoid cooking with it though, as it may become damaged.

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