Omega 3 fatty acids are a special group of unsaturated fatty acids. They regulate various processes in a person's metabolism. Furthermore, they are indispensable to keep health risks as small as possible. The body absolutely needs omega 3 fatty acids to keep the production of hormones going and for protein synthesis. Fatty acids are important for cell metabolism and they continue to ensure this. Together with sulphur-containing amino acids, they regulate cell respiration. All of these examples show that the body cannot do without omega 3 fatty acids, but in a balanced ratio. A large number of studies have shown that sufficient omega 3 fatty acids reduce the risk of a heart attack , especially in women who are suffering more and more from heart attacks. Heart attacks have been the leading cause of death in Germany in recent years.
Omega 3 capsules to the normal diet
Some foods contain omega 3, but in small amounts. Foodstuffs include oils such as walnut oil, hemp oil and linseed oil. However, these oils should be of good quality for the human body to benefit from them. Therefore, when buying, you should make sure that:
- Organically grown and free from pesticides and other pollutants
- That they were not heated above 40 degrees during production
- They definitely need to be stored in a cool, dark place to prevent them from going rancid
Unfortunately, good products are not that cheap either, but the body and health should be worth it.
Which foods contain omega 3 fatty acids?
First and foremost is of course the fish, fish from the sea in particular contain a high level of omega 3 fatty acids. This is especially true for fish that are naturally very fat. The best supplier is the salmon. Here it doesn't matter how it is consumed, whether grilled or smoked or another cooking method is preferred. Furthermore, pickled fish products such as anchovies, sardines and herring also contain a large amount of omega 3 fatty acids. Also the mackerel, the rainbow trout and the swordfish. There are fewer fatty acids in tuna, sole, halibut and cod. Shellfish such as mussels, shrimp and oysters contain almost no fatty acids.
Unfortunately, the fact is that not everyone likes to eat fish and so the body has to be supplied with enough omega 3 in a different way. This can be done either with the oils mentioned above or with margarine that has been enriched with long-chain fatty acids. These can be found more and more often in the refrigerated shelves of supermarkets. If you want to be sure that you have consumed enough omega 3 fatty acids throughout the day, you should not forgo omega 3 capsules.
However, vegetables such as peppers, leeks and soybeans also contain a certain amount of omega 3 fatty acids. Unsaturated fatty acids are also found in dairy products, meat and cheese, but only if the animals also had fresh grass under their feed. If you don't like all that, you can use more nuts and seeds to cover your need for omega 3 fatty acids. Flaxseeds, which can easily be sprinkled over yoghurt or muesli, also have a high content.
Overdosing should be avoided
When taking food supplements, everyone should always be careful not to take them in excessive amounts. Too high a concentration of vitamins, minerals and nutrients can also have a negative effect on the body. Before doing so, however, it should be estimated as accurately as possible how much fatty acid is ingested through normal food. A slight overdose hardly matters, but over a longer period of time this can lead to problems.
A permanent overdose
If you take too much omega 3 fatty acids over a long period of time, it can be quite harmful for the body. If the body gets too much omega 3 fatty acids, you will first notice that there is a fishy aftertaste in the mouth. Diarrhea and nausea can also occur. Overdose should be avoided, especially in people with epilepsy or manic-depressive illness. However, side effects can also occur if there are impurities in food supplements. This is particularly the case with preparations whose composition is not defined clearly enough. Here, compounds of methylmercury have already been detected in some cases. These then lead to the undesirable side effects and the omega 3 fatty acids have nothing to do with it. Therefore, when choosing, for example, omega 3 capsules, you should always pay attention to high quality and never choose the cheapest product. It also helps a lot if the ingredients are listed in detail on the packaging.
