Foods Containing Omega 3 Fatty Acids

A list of foods containing omega 3 fatty acids is relatively short when compared to a list of foods containing omega 6 fatty acids. A list of long chain omega 3 foods is even shorter and in fact consists of only one food: fish.

The distinction between foods containing omega 3's and omega 6's is made, because the average diet contains too many omega 6 foods and not enough omega 3 foods. Many people consume ten times the amount of omega 6 as omega 3 (some as much as 30 times). This is a recipe for a health disaster.

Experts believe that four times or lower would be excellent and that consuming too many omega 6 foods relative to omega 3 foods increases the probability of a number of diseases, heart disease in particular.

There are many foods containing omega 3 fatty acids in small amounts, but these foods usually contain omega 6 fatty acids as well, so in order to maintain the best balance doctors often recommend omega 3 supplements.

Short chain omega 3 foods are plant sources like flaxseed, chia, purslane, lingonberry, and hemp. These are foods containing omega 3 fatty acids known as ALA. The body must convert this ALA to the long chain omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. However, this conversion happens inefficiently in many people for various reasons.

When it comes to meat, good omega 3 foods are: organic eggs (look for ones that say high omega 3 content on the label, which you can find at most supermarkets nowadays); and look to purchase grassfed meats -- such as grassfed beef, chicken, lamb, etc. These are much more pricy than typical store bought meats -- you have to go to specialty stores or your local farmer's market usually to find them.

The problem with most meats nowadays is that they are mass produced, and grain-fed. Only grassfed meats -- not grainfed -- are foods containing omega 3 fatty acids.

Many doctors recommend that vegan diets include an algae oil supplement, since such people will not use the best omega 3 source -- high quality fish oil supplements -- because algae oil contains DHA and EPA fatty acids.

The most common foods containing omega 3 fatty acids of the long chain variety are fish. Because of mercury contamination risks, doctors and environmental experts make the following recommendations: avoid fish that come from the Atlantic Ocean which is particularly polluted.

A relatively new addition to the omega 3 foods list is a fish called the Hoki, which contains naturally high levels of DHA and EPA fatty acids and comes from New Zealand where the waters are pristine.

People who do not like any of the foods containing omega 3 fatty acids may want to consider a fish oil supplement which is tasteless and actually helps the cells of the body absorb other substances like calcium. A fish oil supplement should be purified or pharmaceutical quality. Hoki fish oil is a good choice.

Since the omega 3 foods list or foods containing omega 3 fatty acids is so short, an omega 3 supplement containing purified fish oil may be the best choice for a healthy diet.