One of the few things that conventional wisdom has gotten right about our health is that we should eat more foods with omega 3 fatty acids. You’ve probably heard some talking head on TV mention them during the 2-minute Health segment in the news, or maybe you read a blurb about them in a newspaper or magazine. But do you actually have any idea what omega 3′s are, what they do, or why you should get more in your diet? Probably not. Let’s take a closer look at what omega 3′s are, why they’re important, how they can benefit you, and where to find them.

What Are Omega 3 Fatty Acids?

As the name suggests, omega 3′s are essential fatty acids – which is to say, they are dietary fat. The term “essential” has special significance here, and it means that your body is unable to synthesize the production of this nutrient, and you have to receive it from your diet. (The same applies to the essential amino acids, which are the protein nutrients that your body needs.)

Dietary fat can be broken down into three categories – omega 3, omega 6, and omega 9. Of the three, only omega 3 and omega 6 are essential. Your body can product omega 9 fatty acids on its own by breaking down unsaturated fat from your diet.

Omega 3 vs Omega 6

Since both Omega 3 and Omega 6 are essential fatty acids, it might seem strange to discuss them in terms of being at odds with one another, like you should choose one over the other. However, omega 6 fats are found in a wide variety of processed foods, such as bread and cereal, and trans fats are technically classified as omega 6 fats. In contrast, omega 3 fats are somewhat more difficult to find, as they are primarily found in whole food sources.

The widespread availability of omega 6 and the relative difficulty of finding omega 3 (in terms of the Standard American Diet) often leads to an imbalance of the two fats in the typical person’s diet. The ratio of omega 6 fats to omega 3 fats is often around 15 : 1, and sometimes as high as 30 : 1, meaning many people consume 10 to 30 times as much omega 6 fat as they do omega 3 fat.

This extreme imbalance has been linked to cardiovascular disease in a number of studies. (To be fair, there is some debate about whether the ratio itself is important, or if merely the lack of omega 3 fats is to blame for the link to heart disease. Regardless of the distinction, the practical result is the same – get more omega 3 fats in your diet.)

The ideal ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 is generally agreed to be around 4 : 1. If you’re currently around the 30 : 1 point, anything you can do to lower that ratio is a good thing.

Benefits of Omega 3 Fats

There are a number of benefits that come with getting the proper amount of omega 3 fat in your diet. The most well known are the cardiovascular benefits – things like a reduced risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol, heart rate, and blood pressure. The FDA recognized omega 3 fats in 2004 and gave it the “qualified health claim status” meaning, essentially, that there is significant evidence that adequate omega 3 has a positive impact on lowering your chance of heart disease.

Omega 3 fats can also improve your health in a number of other ways, such as:

- better skin
- stronger and fuller hair
- stronger nails
- reduced inflammation (arthritis, anyone?)
- reduced joint pain
- increased brain function
- improving mood and symptoms of depression
- helping to prevent cancer cell growth

The more we learn about omega 3, the more it becomes obvious that our bodies were designed to function with an adequate supply of it. A lack of omega 3 is going to impact your body in a number of ways, and you’re probably not even aware of some of them. When my knees ache after a workout, I don’t think, “Man, I need to go eat some fish.” Instead I think, “Where’s that ibuprofen?” But could a lack of omega 3 really be to blame? It’s completely possible.

Omega 3 Sources

As I mentioned above, omega 3′s are most commonly found in whole food sources, but there some alternative ways of getting adequate omega 3 fat in your diet. The foods highest in omega 3 are:

Oily Fish, such as sardines, anchovies, mackerel, salmon and trout.
Flaxseed
Walnuts
Soybeans and raw tofu
Snapper
Scallops
Shrimp

Omega 3 Supplements

Unfortunately for me, I am not a big fan of seafood (although I do love me some walnuts!), so it’s difficult for me to get enough omega 3 fat in my diet from whole food sources. I can eat some fish, but the thought of having to choke down a couple servings of fish multiple times each week is a bit more than I want to handle. Many people fall into the same boat.

Luckily, you can take omega 3′s as supplements and avoid the whole foods route if you want to. The most popular omega 3 supplement is fish oil, which you can get as gelcaps or a liquid. I recommend the gelcaps. You can also find omega 3 supplements that come as a gel or pudding-like substance that you squeeze out of a packet. It sounds a bit sketchy, but I bet that would be a great addition to a smoothie or protein shake.

So How Much Omega 3 Do I Need?

Opinions vary greatly as to how much omega 3 we actually need to get in our diet. Some experts say that around 150 mg per day is sufficient, while others say that anywhere from 500 mg to 1,000 mg per day is necessary. Interestingly, the American Heart Association recommends eating at least 2 fish dinners a week, which would work out to 500 to 600 mg of omega 3 per day.

I’m personally going to shoot for a dose between 500 mg and 1,000 mg per day. While opinions do vary, there seems to be something of a consensus around that amount.