Omega 3 Benefits And Their Sources

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Omega 3 benefits are all the rage lately and are getting huge boosts from the medical press it is receiving. Fatty acids are crucial to good health. This is one thing that our bodies cannot create on their own and the only way to get them is from other sources. There are virtually no other nutrients that give you as many benefits as the fishy omega 3 caplets. The biggest and by far the most important is the reduced risk of heart disease. That is a huge benefit but not the only benefit from Omega 3s. Omega 3s play a big part in the development of a healthy fetus during pregnancy and promote top health for everyone taking them. They are so important that the FDA has gone out of their comfort zone and approved two for treatment of high triglycerides. One is a single compound caplet the second has animal-based omega 3s, DHA, and EPA.

Question: Do You Know What Omega-3s are and how to get the right ones for your body?
What ‘Omega 3 benefits’ could possibly coax you into eating a fish smelling gel cap every day?
Are the Omega 3s so important that you need to do this?
Is it possible that you could even have a fatty acid deficiency?
We will look into these questions and more one at a time.

What Are Omega 3s and Why Do You Need Them?

Omega 3s are a polyunsaturated fatty acid. This means that they contain more than one double bond. Your body does not produce them but your body can synthesize them. As stated earlier the problem is that your body is not able to create this double bond.

The Three Common Types of Omega 3s Found in Food

1. ALA is a plant-based Omega 3 that can be found in a large number of green plants and seeds. Some of the best sources are green leafy vegetables, walnuts, canola, soybean oils and both flax and chia seeds. This is a short chain Omega which means that unlike the other two, your body must convert it to a long chain product. This is not as efficient as the other two types.

2. EPA is a 20 carbon fatty acid found in fish especially krill and some algae. This can be more easily synthesized than the ALA types. This and the DHA provide a better alternative to supply your body with the needed amounts of Omega 3s.

3. EHA is a 22 carbon chain found in the same sources as EPA but your body is required to convert it back to a 20 carbon chain to synthesize it.

In addition to Omega 3s, we also need Omega 6s for optimum body functions. These are easily found in food sources for your body. Most people have 20 to 1 or even 30 to 1 ‘Omega 6 to Omega 3’ ratio. We need to make that into a 1 to 1 ratio for best health.

Omega 3 Benefits Include Massive Weight Loss

Studies conducted at reputed universities revealed that the combination of omega 3 oil and moderate aerobics is a true winner. There were sample subjects who were losing considerably more weight than those who did not consume omega 3 oil. The only difference was the omegas.The subjects, using fish oil omegas are recorded to have lost considerably more weight around their abdominal region, thereby leading the researchers to conclude that the omega 3 oils sourced from fish activate enzymes that are better fat burners and increase the rates of metabolism.

A report in an international chronicle on obesity showed that another study conducted to understand the link between omega 3 oils and weight loss revealed that those who consumed 1.8 grams of fish oil per day lost weight much faster than those who did not. The figures of the study said that those who consumed fish oil had lost an astounding 26% more fat than those who did not have fish oil. The differences in the rates of fat oxidation and body metabolism are truly amazing. In all of these cases, fish oil was consumed and combined with simple yet regular exercise routines. For someone looking to lose weight, this is one of the great Omega 3 benefits.

You can consume omega 3 oil trans acids in natural form by eating foods that are rich in omega 3. Fish is the best source of omega 3. Salmon, anchovies, sardines and even tuna are a few illustrations of fish that can provide you with omega 3 oil. Other foods that are excellent for omega 3 include flaxseed, avocados, and walnut. Otherwise, you may even use omega 3 supplements that are freely available in the market.

Other Omega 3 Benefits for Your Health

Helps in Improving Your Acne Condition

So, how do omega 3 acids help in controlling acne? The omega 3 oils reduce the size of the sebaceous glands present under the skin pores which in turn keeps the sebum levels in control. Thus, reducing the size of these oil-producing glands helps in preventing acne breakouts.

Including Omega 3 alone in your diet would not be adequate. While you need to increase the level of omega 3, you must scale back the level of omega six fatty acids. If the omega six levels surpass the number of omega 3 in the body, you are going to be more susceptible to acne breakouts. Omega 3 trans acids work best when used together with a correct and effective acne treatment solution.

Like other acne treatments, omega 3 trans acids give certain side effects. A few of the possible complications include hemorrhagic strokes, decreased glycemic control, increased bleeding and immune system impairment. However, such complications occur rarely.

From the pages of WebMD: Omega-3 Fish Oil Supplements for Heart Disease

Omega 3 Benefits

A helpful article by Health XChange: Omega-3: Reasons Why Women Need It

Omega 3 Oils Increase Insulin Production.

This has been pegged as the reason for the increased weight loss. Insulin basically allows the body to use more fat to generate energy, instead of storing it away to get collected as body fat. This is because insulin disables an enzyme that promotes the storage of fat and increases the action of those natural chemical compounds that break down the stored fat. Omega 3 benefits also include enhancing liver functions, which is the organ responsible for dealing with the fat in your body.

Omega 3 oils are also known to increase the flow of blood to your muscles when you exercise, which boosts your body’s ability to store fat. The essential fatty acid also subdues the production of a stress hormone, known as cortisol, which also encourages your body to store fat.

Omega 3, 6 and 9 are together called essential fatty acids. These polyunsaturated chains are required in the production of hormones named eicosanoids that regulate digestion, insulin production and the storage of fat, among many other body functions.

Overall, fish oil is a very rich source of omega 3 oils and is increasingly showing significant results when used in addition to exercise to increase rates of weight reduction.