We can get omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from various sources:
- Sea fish oil: Omega-3 fatty acids from cold-water fish such as mackerel or salmon
- Krill oil: Omega-3 fatty acids from Antarctic krill
- Vegan: Algae oil and alpha-linolenic acid from linseed, walnut or rapeseed oil
Various specialist organisations recommend that different types of fish should be consumed at least twice a week, preferably cold-water oily fish. Another way to reap the benefits of omega-3 is to include high-quality vegetable oils and foods with a high content of the polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid, or to take appropriate nutritional supplements.
What are omega-3 fatty acids?
The human body needs “healthy” fats for a functioning metabolism. These healthy fats include omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. We need them in many different areas of health, including for the normal function of the heart and brain.
Polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids – especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – are considered to be particularly beneficial to health as a contribution to normal heart function. These cannot be formed by the body itself without the appropriate precursors and must therefore be absorbed through our food.
Omega-3 fatty acids are an important part of a healthy diet. Unfortunately, we often consume saturated fatty acids with food via daily foods such as fatty meats, butter and cream. The valuable polyunsaturated fatty acids – especially the omega-3 fatty acids – are often only included in the daily diet in small amounts.
History of omega-3 fatty acids
We owe our current knowledge of how omega-3 fatty acids work to the Inuit, the indigenous people of Greenland. Observations indicate that the Inuit enjoyed surprisingly good heart health, despite a completely unbalanced and extremely fatty diet.
Their menu consisted almost exclusively of fish – not particularly balanced in the conventional sense. So it was assumed that the secret lay hidden in this particular dietary behaviour. The answer of many research papers dealing with this phenomenon today is: omega-3 fatty acids are the secret.
The most important representatives of these fatty acids are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). They are consumed in cold-water fish and have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system.
Today, we know that these essential fatty acids not only have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, but also have a positive effect during pregnancy and at the same time on synapse formation and normal brain function. Many of these mechanisms of action are still being researched.