What is Omega 3, benefits, foods and when to consume it?

Omega 3 is a fundamental essential fatty acid for our body, with many benefits and properties. Find out which their richest foods are and who should consume them.

The fatty acid is undoubtedly one of the components most beneficial for our body. We can find them in a wide variety of different foods, which must be implemented in our daily diet.  In fact, diet is a fundamental as well as an important source of fatty acids.

For this reason, maintaining a diet rich in foods high in fatty acids is essential when it comes to maintaining a more or less stable lipid level, as well as providing our body with essential fatty acids, among which we find two:  omega-3 and omega-6.

Since the human body is not capable of synthesizing them, or tends to synthesize them in insufficient quantities, it is essential to maintain a regular intake through diet.

What is Omega 3?

First of all, we are going to talk very briefly about what Omega 3 consists of. It is a family of fatty acids that are completely essential for our body since we cannot synthesize them by itself and hence they can only be taken directly in some place. Other food.

Omega3 is clearly divided into three different fatty acids:

• DHA: docosahexaenoic acid. This is a type of fat found mostly in foods of animal origin. It is recommended to take them for a correct development and functioning of our brain.
• ALA: alpha-linolenic acid. Unlike the first ones, this type of fat is found mainly in any plant.
• EPA: eiccosapentaenoic acid. It is also found in animal foods and helps prevent and treat any inflammatory process.

What are the benefits of Omega 3?

As you have seen, Omega 3 is a molecule that is found in the cells of animal and general meat. And therefore, since we begin to take it assiduously, we can enjoy its innumerable benefits that we will reel from the following point:

• Avoid cardiovascular diseases. It is more than proven that Omega 3 helps prevent the appearance of all types of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension or the appearance of clots in the arteries.
• Prevents depression and anxiety. This mental condition is suffered by millions of people around the world, regardless of their origin or age. In fact, Omega 3 can be even more effective than the antidepressant Prozac.
• Beneficial for our bones and joints. Osteoporosis is characterized by the decalcification and deterioration of all the bones of the skin and usually appears in women of considerable age. However, if Omega 3 is consumed regularly, the presence of calcium in the bones increases and prevents the onset of arthritis.
• Fight insomnia. It is normal that due to our daily stress, all kinds of stress and insomnia appear, something that can later have a negative impact on our health. Well, thanks to Omega 3, we will be able to sleep much better, thus being able to sleep between seven or eight hours a day.

Foods rich in Omega 3:

Now we only have to close this article to tell you obviously what foods are rich in Omega 3. First, you have a wide variety of fish such as tuna, salmon, prawns, sardines or trout that are very rich in this natural oil.

Also cod liver oils or seaweed are a great source of this natural component. All this without mentioning that seafood in general is also a great source of Omega 3.

On the other hand, eggs, dairy products in general and meat also have a high dose of Omega 3 and therefore it is recommended to introduce it into your daily diet. Finally, it should also be noted that this top is also found in all kinds of vegetables such as spinach, hemp seeds and soybeans along with cabbage and purslane.

As we can see, there are a wide variety of foods with a high content of omega 3 fatty acids. Therefore, following a varied diet and including some of these foods we will achieve the contribution that our body needs in fatty acids.

Who should consume omega 3?

Generally all the people who wish it, although they must take care -especially- of their contribution, both pregnant women and children.

This is because, in pregnancy and in  breastfeeding  itself, omega 3s are essential for the neurological development of the baby, in addition to helping to improve the motor functions of premature babies, learning and sight.

In addition, those who have a family history of high cholesterol and cardiovascular problems should take omega 3 in the correct dose.

The best thing in all cases is not to exceed the recommended dose per day (for example, consume blue fish 3 or 4 times a week), since it can cause a drop in good cholesterol and gallstones.