A varied and healthy diet is the focus of a healthy diet. For optimal nutrition, fats should also be part of our daily diet. Omega-3 fatty acids are among the healthy and essential fats and areTolfioow for our body.
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What are omega-3 fatty acids?
Omega-3 belongs to the group of essential fatty acids. It is one of the unsaturated fatty acids that are particularly important for our body, but cannot be produced by it itself. Therefore, the need for omega-3 fatty acids must be met through food. The chemical nature of fatty acids is generally divided into saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The polyunsaturated fatty acids are divided into omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids. Small differences in the chemical structure are responsible for which function the individual fatty acids assume in our body. The most active unsaturated fatty acids include DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) is mainly found in vegetable oils and fats. EPA and DHA are formed from this in the body. The right ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 fatty acids
is particularly important . Ideally, from a nutritional point of view, this should be one in five. With the Inuit the ratio is one to one. In Western European countries, the increase in omega-6 fatty acids is usually far too high and therefore the risk of heart attack is 50 percent. Although the Inuit eat more meat than Western Europeans, the risk of a heart attack is only seven percent due to the balanced ratio of omega fatty acids.
This is how the essential omega-3 fatty acids work
In addition to the saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, there are also the triglycerides. They are found in about 90 percent of dietary fat and provide the body with the energy it needs. Energy that we don’t use is stored in our fat deposits. A triglyceride value that is too high can be caused by your personal diet or by illness . People who are overweight, alcoholics, diabetics and people with kidney dysfunction or HIV infection are at risk. A blood test can be used to determine the triglyceride level. Changing your diet to a light, Mediterranean diet and consuming omega-3 fatty acids, which lower triglyceride levels, usually helps.
The cholesterol level is also counted as a blood lipid value. Cholesterol is present in the liver and blood. It consists of two types – LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. The risk of cardiovascular disease is often due to increased LDL cholesterol, which is also known as bad cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids increase the good cholesterol HDL, lower blood pressure and promote blood circulation. Cardiac arrhythmias can be positively influenced by omega-3 fatty acids. In the long run, this can prevent sudden cardiac death.
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and arachidonic acid are increased in inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis. Although the omega-3 fatty acids do not replace the medication, they reduce the inflammatory activity and thus the pain in those affected.
The long-chain omega-3 fatty acids DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are found in high concentrations in various areas of the eye, especially in the first to six months of life. They are responsible for visual performance and the development and maintenance of visual acuity. Likewise, DHA reduces age-related macular degeneration, which is a loss of vision in the central field of vision. The omega-3 fatty acid also reduces the risk of dry eyes in older people.
DHA is important for brain development in early childhood. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the mother should ensure an adequate supply of omega-3 fatty acids. DHA ensures optimal permeability and flexibility of the brain cell membranes. A poor supply of DHA and the omega-3 fatty acid EPA can lead to mental illnesses such as autism, ADHD or depression. In addition, the development of dementia diseases can be reduced by an adequate supply of these omega-3 fatty acids.
Which foods contain omega-3 fatty acids?
According to the German Nutrition Society, 0.5 percent of your daily calories should come from omega-3 fatty acids. With 2,000 kcal daily, that would mean a requirement of 10 kcal from these fatty acids. That’s about as much as 100g of sardines. The fatty acids should be in a balanced ratio. The proportion of omega-3 fatty acids should always be higher than the proportion of omega-6 fatty acids.
These foods contain omega-3 fatty acids
The superfood has a high content of omega-3 fatty acids: 100 grams contain 19,000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids.
It can be prepared in a variety of ways and scores with a high content of the valuable fatty acid: 4,923 mg in 100 g.
Mackerel belongs to the tuna family and is also available smoked: 100 g contains 2,525 mg of omega-3 fatty acids.
This fish is also not very rich in fat, but provides plenty of healthy fatty acids: in 100 g there are 893 mg of omega-3 fatty acids.
They support the absorption of fatty acids and are a good source of them: 100 g contain 3,551 mg omega-3 fatty acids.
The oil contains the omega-3 fatty acid ALA and converts it into DHA and EPA in the body: 100 g contain 8,584 mg omega-3 fatty acids.
