Omega-3: These Are The Foods You Should Be Eating
Food

Omega-3: These Are The Foods You Should Be Eating

Getting enough omega-3 fatty acids through your diet has been shown to have many health benefits. In this post, we’ll break down the most important aspects of a diet rich in the right type of PUFA and what to eat next!

Published  

May 19, 2022

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Updated  

August 19, 2022

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PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) is a term you have undoubtedly heard lately. It’s a collective noun for all fatty acids of the unsaturated type, meaning that the fat molecules have more than one unsaturated carbon bond in the molecule - also called a double bond.

Generally speaking, there are two types of PUFA, namely omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Because of omega-6’s pro-inflammatory nature, and omega-3’s anti-inflammatory nature, the optimal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in the human body is around 1:1. However, with the rise of vegetable oils used in cooking and to increase the shelf life of produce, more and more people are consuming too many omega-6 fatty acids (amongst linoleic acid), causing inflammatory diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cardiovascular disease, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

So do we need to skip omega-6 fatty acids altogether? The answer is: not quite. The key word here is balance (and it might come as no surprise, but parting with seed oils is a good start). Omega-3 fatty acids can be hard to come by through dietary intake alone, so here’s a list of foods that are full of them!

Cod liver (13g)

Cod liver tops the list at 13 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per 100 grams. Besides being good for the dietary intake of omega-3, cod liver, and specifically the oil that is produced from it, contains vitamin A and D, both vital nutrients for immune system function, cellular growth, eye health and reproduction.

Cod liver contains about 13grams of omega-3 in every 100 grams
Image source: Shutterstock

Mackerel (5g)

Mackerel is a true omega-3 powerhouse, as it contains around 5 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. It’s also a type of fish that contains the least amount of mercury, relative to other sea fish, as reported by the Natural Resources Defense Counsil.

Next to omega-3, mackerel contains a good amount of vitamin B12 which helps the nervous system and of which a deficiency can cause anemia.

Mackerel contains about 5grams of omega-3 in every 100 grams
Image source: Shutterstock

Salmon Roe (3g)

Salmon roe is the eggs of a salmon, known also as “salmon caviar” or simply “red caviar”. Salmon roe is full of bioavailable vitamins A, B, D, and K2. The deliccasy also contains levels op zinc and iodine, along with - you guessed it - omega-3 fatty acids.

Salmon roe contains about 3grams of omega-3 in every 100 grams
Image source: Shutterstock

Sardines (2g)

Don’t let the small size of sardines fool you: they hold true when compared to larger fish like the mackerel and salmon concerning their nutritional value. Sardines contain about 2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids and eating them whole also supplies you with a fair bit of magnesium, one of the most important electrolytes involved in over thirty processes in the human body.

Sardines contains about 2grams of omega-3 in every 100 grams
Image source: Shutterstock

Oysters (0.6g)

An oyster every now and then definitively won’t do you any harm. Although they contain relatively low amounts of omega-3, they are a rich source of vitamin D, copper, zinc, and manganese.

Cod liver contains about 0.6 grams of omega-3 in every 100 grams
Image source: Shutterstock

Eggs (0.5g)

Last but not least, if you’re looking for a small boost of  the brain-building omega-3 fatty acids, then indulge in a few eggs. One egg can contain anywhere from 100mg to 500mg of omega-3!

Eggs contains about 0.5 grams of omega-3 in every 100 grams
Image source: Shutterstock

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PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) is a term you have undoubtedly heard lately. It’s a collective noun for all fatty acids of the unsaturated type, meaning that the fat molecules have more than one unsaturated carbon bond in the molecule - also called a double bond.

Generally speaking, there are two types of PUFA, namely omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Because of omega-6’s pro-inflammatory nature, and omega-3’s anti-inflammatory nature, the optimal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in the human body is around 1:1. However, with the rise of vegetable oils used in cooking and to increase the shelf life of produce, more and more people are consuming too many omega-6 fatty acids (amongst linoleic acid), causing inflammatory diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cardiovascular disease, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

So do we need to skip omega-6 fatty acids altogether? The answer is: not quite. The key word here is balance (and it might come as no surprise, but parting with seed oils is a good start). Omega-3 fatty acids can be hard to come by through dietary intake alone, so here’s a list of foods that are full of them!

Cod liver (13g)

Cod liver tops the list at 13 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per 100 grams. Besides being good for the dietary intake of omega-3, cod liver, and specifically the oil that is produced from it, contains vitamin A and D, both vital nutrients for immune system function, cellular growth, eye health and reproduction.

Cod liver contains about 13grams of omega-3 in every 100 grams
Image source: Shutterstock

Mackerel (5g)

Mackerel is a true omega-3 powerhouse, as it contains around 5 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. It’s also a type of fish that contains the least amount of mercury, relative to other sea fish, as reported by the Natural Resources Defense Counsil.

Next to omega-3, mackerel contains a good amount of vitamin B12 which helps the nervous system and of which a deficiency can cause anemia.

Mackerel contains about 5grams of omega-3 in every 100 grams
Image source: Shutterstock

Salmon Roe (3g)

Salmon roe is the eggs of a salmon, known also as “salmon caviar” or simply “red caviar”. Salmon roe is full of bioavailable vitamins A, B, D, and K2. The deliccasy also contains levels op zinc and iodine, along with - you guessed it - omega-3 fatty acids.

Salmon roe contains about 3grams of omega-3 in every 100 grams
Image source: Shutterstock

Sardines (2g)

Don’t let the small size of sardines fool you: they hold true when compared to larger fish like the mackerel and salmon concerning their nutritional value. Sardines contain about 2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids and eating them whole also supplies you with a fair bit of magnesium, one of the most important electrolytes involved in over thirty processes in the human body.

Sardines contains about 2grams of omega-3 in every 100 grams
Image source: Shutterstock

Oysters (0.6g)

An oyster every now and then definitively won’t do you any harm. Although they contain relatively low amounts of omega-3, they are a rich source of vitamin D, copper, zinc, and manganese.

Cod liver contains about 0.6 grams of omega-3 in every 100 grams
Image source: Shutterstock

Eggs (0.5g)

Last but not least, if you’re looking for a small boost of  the brain-building omega-3 fatty acids, then indulge in a few eggs. One egg can contain anywhere from 100mg to 500mg of omega-3!

Eggs contains about 0.5 grams of omega-3 in every 100 grams
Image source: Shutterstock

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