Fatty Benefits: The Complete Guide to Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids – indispensable substances for the health of the body as a whole – this is unanimously declared by experts in the field of medicine and health care. Decades of research have been devoted to demonstrating why omega so important for every organism.  Such acids are found in products of both animal and vegetable origin.

The main sources of healthy fatty acids are considered to be fish and krill oil (or oil). Estet-portal.com will tell you in more detail why our body needs omega-3 acids and how can they be obtained in sufficient quantities?

Omega-3 fatty acids – benefits in brief

Today, omega-3 fatty acids are included in the list of substances that our body most needs. It should be noted that these acids include:

• EPA – eicosapentaenoic acid;
• DHA – docosahexaenoic acid;
• ALA – alpha-linoleic acid.

Omega-3 Healthy Benefits:

1. Heart health. Studies have shown that the risk of death from heart failure is reduced by 50% in men who eat fish at least one day a week; fish oil also helps reduce the risk of another heart attack or stroke.
2. Triglyceride normalization. In this aspect, krill and fish oils are more effective than statins – they significantly reduce the activity of enzymes that are involved in the production of triglycerides in the liver.
3. Omega-3 fatty acids have the following properties:

• antiarrhythmic;
• antithrombotic;
• anti-atherosclerotic;
• anti-inflammatory.

4. Increased learning. DHA helps to maximize a child's intellectual potential, since sufficient amounts of this acid can improve memory, reading skills, and other cognitive functions.
5. Brain protection. EPA and DHA keep dopamine levels in the brain at an appropriate level, promote the growth of brain cells in the frontal cortex and improve blood circulation in the brain.

The benefits of omega-3s cover many aspects of health – both mental and physical.

These acids reduce the risk:

• CHD;
• strokes;
• Parkinson's disease;
• cognitive decline;
• autoimmune diseases;
• osteoporosis;
• breast cancer;
• prostate and colon cancer;
• Crohn's disease;
• rheumatoid arthritis.

The benefits of omega-3s don't stop there! They help hair, nails and the largest organ – skin – stay healthy, and therefore beautiful.

Balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids: the role and methods of maintenance

Omega-6s, like omega-3s, are extremely important for health. The ideal ratio of these acids in the diet – 1:1.

However, omega-6 acids significantly dominate the diet of a modern person, and the lack of omega-3 acids entails a lot of problems, including with the brain and heart.

To return the ratio of acids to normal, it is recommended to regularly eat sources of omega-3 acids of animal origin, namely:

• fish (wild salmon, sardines);
• fish oil (high-quality fish oil – excellent source of omega-3s, but remember, if you choose this way to fill the lack of omega-3 fatty acids, you will need to increase the amount of foods containing antioxidants);
• krill oil (in this case, the antioxidant properties of the oil are in many respects higher than those of fish oil, in addition, astaxanthin can increase the bioavailability of EPA and DHA).

Make sure you're getting the right omega-3 fatty acids from organic foods!