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Benefits of Omega 3 Fatty Oils, Omega 3 Foods

All about omega 3 fatty oils, foods high in omega 3, natural omega 3 sources, omega 3 benefits and side effects, omega 3 and weight loss.

Fat in our food can be divided into saturated and unsaturated fat. Unsaturated fat can be further divided down into several fats which include the omega fatty acids, known as 3, 6 and 9. These omega fatty acids can be sub-divided even further but we’ll keep this relevant to what you need to know about eating a healthy balanced diet and focus on omega 3 fatty oils.




Omega 3 fatty oils are split between what are known as ALA, EPA and DHA, without going into their long scientific names, but suffice to say that the omega 3 benefits are thought to derive from EPA and DHA. ALA has not been shown to be as beneficial to issues related to cardiovascular disease.

Omega 3 Food Sources

Omega 3 Fatty Oils, Omega 3 Foods, Natural Omega 3 Sources, Omega 3 Benefits

Foods high in omega 3 fatty oils are listed in the natural omega 3 chart below, where you can find the value of ALA, EPA and DHA, as well as their calories, fat and protein content per 100g (or 3.5oz) edible portion. All omega 3 foods are divided into groups: fish, shellfish, fish oils, eggs, vegetable oils, and vegetables. Fish high in omega 3 fatty oils include sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, halibut, swordfish, etc. Non fish sources of omega 3 fatty oils include walnuts, flaxseeds, squash, kidney beans and of course no kitchen should be without olive oil. A number of foods can be found fortified with omega 3 fatty oils as well. Please note that vegetarian sources of omega 3 are less absorbent as they lack EPA and DHA omega 3 fatty oils.


Omega 3 Benefits

As well as protecting against cardiovascular disease, the health benefits of omega 3 fatty oils are thought to include lowering blood pressure with improved circulation, a reduction in pain from arthritis, certain cancers including breast and prostate, acting as an anti-inflammatory, boosting our immune system, improving our brain function and providing us with a longer healthier life. It should be stressed that there are innumerable research papers on the topic and it’s too soon to consider the omega 3 health benefits as conclusive.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says “scientific evidence indicates that these fatty acids may be beneficial in reducing coronary heart disease.” Fatty acids refer to EPA and DHA. The American Heart Association “recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish) at least two times (two servings) a week.”

Omega 3 and Weight Loss

Vegetarian Sources of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

There are studies that have shown that the introduction of omega 3 fatty oils in our diet does increase the rate of weight loss when combined with exercise. In addition, other studies have shown that krill oil, krill are tiny fish rich in omega 3 fatty oils, are far better than fish oil at reducing our fat levels.


Omega 3 and Pregnancy

In the United Kingdom, the Food Standards Agency suggests women who are looking to become pregnant should limit their tuna intake and avoid marlin, swordfish and shark due to the development of the child’s nervous system related to mercury in fish. Omega 3 fatty oils are believed to be very beneficial to the development of your baby, whilst pregnant.


Is Omega 3 Pharmaceutical Grade - the Best Omega 3 Supplement?

The Best Omega 3 Fish Oil is Molecularly Distilled

Unfortunately our diet naturally provides more omega 6 than 3, so if your diet is not providing enough EPA and DHA, then you might want to consider omega 3 supplementation. When purchasing omega 3 tablets, make sure that it contains at least DHA and EPA omega 3.

Some omega 3 fish oil supplements have been marketed as pharmaceutical grade omega 3 fatty oils and the only supplements free of mercury and the other toxic substances. Please note that the use of the term “Pharmaceutical Grade” is inaccurate, misleading and used only for marketing purpose, as there is no established pharmaceutical standard against which the substance can be compared.


How Much Omega 3 is Enough?

There is no recommended daily intake (RDI) of omega 3 fatty oils, but both the American Heart Association and FDA recommend not exceeding 3 g per day. For women, 1.1 g and men 1.6g per day are probably enough.


Omega 3 Side Effects

If the intake of EPA and DHA exceeds 3 grams per day it may increase the possibility of:
  • Occurrences of bleeding.
  • Hemorrhagic stroke.
  • Increase of bad cholesterol levels among hyperlipidemics and diabetics.
  • Omega 3 fatty oils oxidation and formation bioactive oxidation products.
Cardiac risk: Talk to your doctor before taking omega 3 fatty oils if you suffer from congestive heart failure, insufficient blood flow to the heart, or angina pectoris.


Tips for Preserving Omega 3 Fatty Oils

Oils containing omega-3s should not be heated because of their fragile nature. Do not use any refined oil containing omega 3 fatty oils including avocado, canola, pumpkin, soy, or walnut oil, as refining will have denatured their heat sensitive omega-3s.

Omega 3 fatty oils have a limited shelf life and are easily destroyed by heat and light, so purchase only omega 3 oils in small quantities, check “best if used by” date stamp, buy oils in dark bottles and keep refrigerated. When purchasing omega 3 supplements, choose those that are molecularly distilled.

Natural Omega 3 Sources

Per 100 grams (3.5 oz) edible portion Navigate to the required section of the table by clicking the picture icon below.
Fish High in Omega 3
Fish
Foods High in Omega 3
Fish Oil
Omega 3 Rich Foods
Eggs
Foods With Omega 3
Vegetable
Oils
Vegetarian Sources of Omega 3
Vegetarian
Sources

Fish

Fresh Fish
Omega 3 Foods Total
n-3
(mg)
ALA
(mg)
EPA
(mg)
DHA
(mg)
Calories
(kcal)
Total
Fat
(g)
Protein
(g)
Anchovy, European, canned in oil, drained solids 2113 17 763 1292 2109.7128.89
Carp, cooked, dry heat 902 346 305 146 1627.1722.86
Catfish, channel, farmed, cooked, dry heat 194 87 20 69 1447.1918.44
Catfish, channel, wild, cooked, dry heat 333 96 100 137 1052.8518.47
Cod, Atlantic, cooked, dry heat 172 1 4 154 1050.8622.83
Cod, Pacific, cooked, dry heat 166 1 42 118 850.5018.73
Flatfish (flounder and sole species), cooked, dry heat 355 21 168 132 862.3715.24
Haddock, cooked, dry heat 168 2 51 109 900.5519.99
Halibut, Atlantic and Pacific, cooked, dry heat 268 13 80 155 1111.6122.54
Herring, Atlantic, cooked, dry heat 2217 132 909 1105 20311.5923.03
Herring, Pacific, cooked, dry heat 2418 73 1242 883 25017.7921.01
Mackerel, Atlantic, cooked, dry heat 1422 113 504 699 26217.8123.85
Mackerel, Pacific and jack, mixed species, cooked, dry heat 2070 64 653 1195 20110.1225.73
Mackerel, king, cooked, dry heat 423 0 174 227 1342.5626.00
Mackerel, spanish, cooked, dry heat 1457 116 294 952 1586.3223.59
Perch, mixed species, cooked, dry heat 375 15 101 223 1171.1824.86
Ocean perch, Atlantic, cooked, dry heat 292 19 75 186 961.8718.51
Pike, northern, cooked, dry heat 182 27 42 95 1130.8824.69
Pike, walleye, cooked, dry heat 465 18 110 288 1191.5624.54
Pollock, Atlantic, cooked, dry heat 570 0 91 451 1181.2624.92
Pollock, walleye, cooked, dry heat 536 0 86 423 1111.1823.48
Salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked, dry heat 2260 113 690 1457 20612.3522.10
Salmon, Atlantic, wild, cooked, dry heat 2586 378 411 1429 1828.1325.44
Salmon, chinook, cooked, dry heat 2143 110 1010 727 23113.3825.72
Salmon, chum, cooked, dry heat 949 44 299 505 1544.8325.82
Salmon, coho, farmed, cooked, dry heat 1355 76 408 871 1788.2324.30
Salmon, coho, wild, cooked, dry heat 1114 55 401 658 1394.3023.45
Salmon, pink, cooked, dry heat 730 56 218 399 1535.2824.58
Salmon, sockeye, cooked, dry heat 988 86 268 524 1696.6925.40
Sea bass, mixed species, cooked, dry heat 859 0 206 556 1242.5623.63
Snapper, mixed species, cooked, dry heat 343 0 48 273 1281.7226.30
Swordfish, cooked, dry heat 1101 34 127 772 1727.9323.45
Tilapia, cooked, dry heat 240 45 5 130 1282.6526.15
Trout, rainbow, farmed, cooked, dry heat 1064 80 259 616 1687.3823.80
Trout, rainbow, wild, cooked, dry heat 1175 187 468 520 1505.8222.92
Trout, mixed species, cooked, dry heat 1370 199 259 677 1908.4726.63
Tuna, fresh, bluefin, cooked, dry heat 1478 1664 363 1141 1846.2829.91
Tuna, skipjack, fresh, cooked, dry heat 345 0 91 237 1321.2928.21
Tuna, yellowfin, fresh, cooked, dry heat 127 2 15 105 1300.5929.15
Canned Fish
Omega 3 Foods Total
n-3
(mg)
ALA
(mg)
EPA
(mg)
DHA
(mg)
Calories
(kcal)
Total
Fat
(g)
Protein
(g)
Anchovy, European, canned in oil, drained solids 2113 17 763 1292 2109.7128.89
Cod, Atlantic, canned, solids and liquid 171 1 4 153 1050.8622.76
Mackerel, jack, canned, drained solids 1377 43 434 796 1566.3023.19
Salmon, chum, canned, drained solids with bone 1314 49 473 702 1415.5021.43
Salmon, pink, canned, total can 1126 48 323 669 1294.9719.68
Salmon, pink, canned, drained solids 1214 48 334 743 1385.0223.10
Salmon, sockeye, canned, drained 1460 54 518 749 1677.3923.59
Salmon, red, canned, bones removed (Alaska Native) 1270 80 330 750 1615.7627.31
Sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone 1480 498 473 509 20811.4524.62
Sardine, Pacific, canned in tomato sauce, drained solids with bone 1692 235 532 864 18510.4520.86
Tuna, light, canned in oil, drained solids 202 74 27 101 1988.2129.13
Tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids 281 2 47 223 1160.8225.51
Tuna, white, canned in oil, drained solids 2113 204 66 178 1868.0826.53
Tuna, white, canned in water, drained solids 951 71 233 629 1282.7123.62
Shellfish
Omega 3 Foods Total
n-3
(mg)
ALA
(mg)
EPA
(mg)
DHA
(mg)
Calories
(kcal)
Total
Fat
(g)
Protein
(g)
Clam, mixed species, cooked, moist heat 396 8 138 146 1481.9525.55
Crab, Alaska king, cooked, moist heat 458 14 295 118 971.5419.35
Crab, blue, cooked, moist heat 186 9 101 67 830.7417.88
Crab, dungeness, cooked, moist heat 407 0 281 113 1101.2422.32
Crab, queen, cooked, moist heat 490 3 332 145 1151.1523.72
Crayfish, mixed species, farmed, cooked, moist heat 184 22 124 38 871.3017.52
Crayfish, mixed species, wild, cooked, moist heat 194 28 119 47 821.2016.77
Lobster, northern, cooked, moist heat 251 50 117 78 890.8619.00
Spiny lobster, mixed species, cooked, moist heat 534 10 341 139 1431.9426.41
Mussel, blue, cooked, moist heat 866 40 276 506 1724.4823.80
Scallop, mixed species, cooked, breaded and fried 361 156 86 103 21610.9418.07
Scallop, (bay and sea), cooked, steamed 187 6 72 104 1110.8420.54
Shrimp, mixed species, cooked, breaded and fried 535 267 109 124 24212.2821.39
Shrimp, mixed species, cooked, moist heat 300 12 135 141 1191.7022.78
Squid, mixed species, cooked, fried 646 100 162 380 1757.4817.94

Fish Oil

Omega 3 Foods Total
n-3
(mg)
ALA
(mg)
EPA
(mg)
DHA
(mg)
Calories
(kcal)
Total
Fat
(g)
Protein
(g)
Cod Liver 19736 935 6898 10968 9021000
Herring fish oil 11861 763 6273 4206 9021000
Menhaden 28135 1490 13168 8562 9021000
Salmon 35307 1061 13023 18232 9021000
Sardine 24093 1327 10137 10656 9021000

Eggs and Egg Products

Omega 3 Foods Total
n-3
(mg)
ALA
(mg)
EPA
(mg)
DHA
(mg)
Calories
(kcal)
Total
Fat
(g)
Protein
(g)
Egg, whole, cooked, hard-boiled 78 35 5 38 15510.6112.58
Egg, whole, cooked, scrambled 182 134 0 43 14910.989.99
Egg, whole, cooked, poached 113 48 0 58 1439.4712.51
Egg, whole, cooked, fried 207 137 0 63 19614.8413.61
Egg, whole, cooked, omelet 188 133 0 49 15411.6610.57

Vegetable Oil

Omega 3 Foods Total
n-3
(mg)
ALA
(mg)
EPA
(mg)
DHA
(mg)
Calories
(kcal)
Total
Fat
(g)
Protein
(g)
Canola oil 9137 9137 0 0 8841000
Corn oil 1161 1161 0 0 8841000
Cottonseed oil 200 200 0 0 8841000
Flaxseed oil 53300 53300 0 0 8841000
Olive oil 761 761 0 0 8841000
Palm oil 200 200 0 0 8841000
Rice bran oil 1600 1600 0 0 8841000
Sesame oil, 300 300 0 0 8841000
Soybean oil 6789 6789 0 0 8841000
Sunflower oil, high oleic (70% and over) 192 192 0 0 8841000
Sunflower oil, linoleic (approx. 65%) 0 0 0 0 8841000
Sunflower oil, linoleic (less than 60%) 200 200 0 0 8841000

Vegetarian Omega 3 Sources

Omega 3 Foods Total
n-3
(mg)
ALA
(mg)
EPA
(mg)
DHA
(mg)
Calories
(kcal)
Total
Fat
(g)
Protein
(g)
Avocados, raw, all commercial varieties 111 111 0 0 16014.662.00
Soybeans, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 354 354 0 0 1416.4012.35
Soybeans, mature cooked, boiled, without salt 598 598 0 0 1738.9716.64
Walnuts 9080 9080 0 0 65465.2115.23
Hazelnuts 87 87 0 0 62860.7514.95
Pine nuts 112 112 0 0 67368.3713.69
Pecans 986 986 0 0 69171.979.17
Pistachio nuts 259 259 0 0 56245.3920.27
Macadamia nuts 206 206 0 0 71875.777.91
Sesame seeds 376 376 0 0 57349.6717.73
Pumpkin seeds 120 120 0 0 55949.0530.23
Kale, raw 180 180 0 0 500.703.30
Collards, raw 108 108 0 0 300.422.45
Broccoli, raw 21 21 0 0 340.372.82
Parsley, fresh 8 8 0 0 360.792.97
Cabbage, savoy, raw 28 28 0 0 270.102.00
Spinach, raw 138 138 0 0 230.392.86
Barley, pearled, cooked 21 21 0 0 1230.442.26
Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), raw 55 55 0 0 130.201.50
Cabbage, chinese (pe-tsai), raw 57 57 0 0 160.201.20
Cabbage, red, raw 45 45 0 0 310.161.43
Cabbage, common (danish, domestic, and pointed types), freshly harvest, raw 46 46 0 0 240.181.21
Beans, kidney, all types, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 170 170 0 0 1270.508.67







Additional Weight Loss Resources:


Healthy Balanced Diet Balanced
Diet
Calories in Fish Calories in
Fish
Italian Fish Soup Recipe Italian Fish Soup
Recipe
Seafood Calories Calories in
Seafood


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