FACTS ABOUT OMEGA 3 AND FISH OIL

 FACTS ABOUT OMEGA 3 AND FISH OIL

1.Taking fish oil supplements is as good as you as eating fish

                   Fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel, and fish oil capsules all have heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

But adding fish to your diet carries healthy bonuses that you won't get from a supplement: calcium and vitamins B2 and D. It's also an excellent source of protein.So try to eat fish more often. Have it two times a week instead of meat.

 2.Fish oil  is good for your  heart

                Omega-3s like DHA and EPA in fish oil and other sources can lower triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood. But to lower high triglyceride levels you need 2-4 grams of DHA/EPA a day.You would have to take a lot of fish oil supplements to get that amount. And you can't be sure how many omega-3s are actually in a supplement, because the FDA doesn't regulate them as closely.You have a couple of options, both of which involve your doctor. You can take high doses of non-prescription fish oil under your doctor's care. Or there are prescription medicines available with high doses of fish oil.If you don't have high triglycerides? Find a favorite fish to eat!

3.If you don’t eat fish, where else you can get omega 3 

Fish is still your best bet for omega-3s. While organ meats, like liver, do have some omega-3s, you can't rely on them to give you all you need.

• some vegetable oils, especially flax seed oil

• green vegetables like kale or spinach

Walnuts can provide the omega-3 known as ALA, which your body doesn't make.Your body can turn ALA into small amounts of two other types of omega-3s, EPA and DHA. These are the kinds of omega-3s found in fish. There's more proof that they protect against heart disease.Vegetarians and vegans can look at algae oils as a source of omega-3s.

None of these substitutes packs the omega-3 power of fish.

4.How much fish should most people eat

                      Eat fish -- preferably oily fish like salmon, herring, lake trout, sardines, or albacore tuna -- twice a week. A serving is 3.5 ounces, or about 3/4 cup of flaked fish.It's generally safe to eat up to 12 ounces of fish or shellfish a week, if they are the lower-in-mercury types.

Fish that are low in mercury:

• shrimp
• canned light tuna
• salmon
• Pollock
• catfish

5. omega 3s may reduce diabetes

              Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids lower high triglycerides, a common problem in people with diabetes. The American Diabetes Association says people with diabetes should get more omega-3s, preferably by eating two or three 3-ounce servings of fish a week.