Omega-3

Omega-3 enriched products are becoming increasingly common due to the large number of health benefits that omega-3 offers. But many people are unaware that to benefit fully, consuming capsules is not sufficient. You must eat fish.

Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids with DHA and EPA, which are effective against a number of health risks. Marine fat in particular is full of omega-3. Norwegian Salmon, mackerel and herring are all types of fish that contain good quantities of healthy fish fat. Omega-3 boosts the development of the brain and eyes and reduces the risk of asthma and depression. It is also beneficial to cholesterol levels and reduces fat accumulations in the arteries.

Consumption of omega-3 capsules has increased in recent years. But can seafood really compare with dietary supplements in terms of its curative effects? Research results show that the intake of marine omega-3 fatty acids from seafood is up to nine times more effective compared to dietary supplements, according to Anne-Katrine Lundebye Haldorsen of the Norwegian National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research.

Omega-3 protects and builds
The body needs polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are indispensable to human health, which is why they are referred to as essential fatty acids. Omega-3 is particularly important, because it is used to build the structure of vital parts of the body such as brain cells.

Omega-3 fatty acids are particularly beneficial to pregnant and nursing mothers, since they aid the development of a child’s brain.

“It is a well known fact that omega-3 fatty acids counteract depression and schizophrenia,” explains Bjarne Østerud, professor of biochemistry at the medical faculty of Tromsø University in Norway.

Omega-3 vs. omega-6?
There are two families of polyunsaturated fatty acids - omega-3 and omega-6 (omega-6 is found in vegetable oil, meat and dairy products).

Research during the last 30 years has shown that there must be a balance between the two in our bodies. We cannot survive without the one or the other, nor can we convert the one into the other. Therefore we must intake both through our diet.

Seafood - an important ingredient in a modern diet
We are eating less fatty fish such as herring and mackerel than previously, and updated studies show that as much as 40–60 per cent of lifestyle illnesses can be related to diet.

Including more seafood in one’s diet means that important nutrients are consumed in their natural form and at the same time one’s intake of food containing saturated fatty acids is reduced. Thus you achieve a more balanced diet – not to mention that fish tastes so good.