Good Sources of Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids

Are you getting enough Omega 3s in your diet? With the pervasive, processed diet and poor eating habits of citizens in developed countries, many individuals are not getting adequate amounts of this essential fatty acids from healthy sources. Here are some healthy foods from where you can obtain Omega 3s:

• Fish - cold water, oily varieties such as salmon, mackerel, herring, anchovies, and sardines
• Flax seeds (freshly ground up) or flax seed oil (raw)
• Walnuts
• Pecans
• Hazelnuts
• Kiwifruit
• Black raspberries
• Lingonberry
• Pasture-raised chickens, turkeys, and ducks - those fed a diet of grasses, worms, and insects
• Eggs from pasture-raised poultry and other birds
• Grass-fed meats and lamb
• Raw milk and cheese from cows that are grass-fed
• Organic butter from grass-fed cows - check your local dairies. Good store brands are Lurpak and Kerrygold
  

It is extremely important that you obtain Omega 3s only from meat and dairy products that originate from grass-fed and pasture-raised poultry. Birds and animals who are fed grains, soy, and corn naturally have a lower Omega 3 content and a higher Omega 6 content - the consumption of which is associated with the development of inflammatory conditions in the body such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and many others.

Omega 3 essential fatty acids are crucial in the maintenance of various body systems including brain development in infants and children, cardiovascular systems, and help prevent cancer.

For more information on Omega 3s and the role they play in health, visit The University of Maryland Medical site.