Save your heart by eating more omega 3 fatty acids. There is no question that incorporating more of these essential nutrients is good for your health, but the best source for them, seafood, is off limits to vegetarians and vegans. For this reason, trying to raise one’s intake of omega 3 fatty acids is not quite as easy for vegetarians as it is for omnivores. There are, however, many non-animal sources of these fats, and awareness of their importance is the first step in a well balanced diet. The varied health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids, have made them a hot topic of conversation over the past few years. Their ability to potentially ward off many diseases and illnesses from which we suffer is being carefully studied. That, coupled with the knowledge that modern man has replaced these essential nutrients with other types of fat has led to a campaign to raise awareness of the need to more cognizant in our dietary choices.

Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), omega-3 fatty acids are a dietary requirement for proper health and development, yet the body is unable to manufacture them; they must come from the foods we eat. While omega-3s are relatively easy to acquire for people who eat animals and animal products, vegetarians often consume far less omega 3s than their bodies require. Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for maintaining cardiovascular health and proper functioning of the brain and eyes throughout life as well as preserving the overall health of the central nervous system.  Particularly important during fetal development, these often overlooked nutrients become crucial for pregnant and nursing mother. These fatty acids have also been shown to reduce inflammation and help moderate many risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases. They may also help maintain mental acuity, a healthy cholesterol profile, and may even alleviate or prevent a host of illnesses and cognitive from which many individuals suffer.

Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in a variety of foods, and while they are abundant in many fish such as salmon, tuna, and halibut as well as other marine life such as krill and other crustaceans, this does not help vegetarians in maintaining proper levels of these essential fats. Fortunately, many plants and nut oils are also sources of omega 3s, and by proper incorporation of these sources, a vegetarian may still ensure an acceptable amount of these essential fatty acids in one’s diet.

Essential Nutrients
There are many different omega 3 fatty acids, and each is used by the body for different reasons.  The polyunsaturated fatty acids alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is the primary omega 3 fatty acids and are converted by the body into the fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are the most studied and understood omega 3s. Unfortunately, this conversion process can be somewhat inefficient, so actively integrating more of the latter two particular fatty acids in one’s diet is recommended. The typical western diet results in more than 10 times as much omega 6 (such as linoleic acid (LA)) than omega 3 fatty acids, whereas studies show that we should be consuming significantly more omega-3 fatty acids than omega 6 fatty acids in our diet. This means that increasing the consumption of omega 3 fatty acids is an important step in maintaining proper health.

Vegetarian Sources of Omega 3s
Vegetarians looking for ALA should focus on green leafy vegetables, nuts, and vegetable oils such as canola, soy, and particularly flaxseed. Rather than buying flaxseed oil in the store, it may be best to grind one’s own flax as needed as the store bought oil can turn rancid quickly, even when kept in the refrigerator. A teaspoon of seeds, (ground and mixed in with any type of food) is a great way to incorporate more omega 3s into one’s diet. The additional benefit of ground flax seed is that this will add a little fiber to one’s diet. A common misconception is that these foods contain DHA, however, and this is often not the case, as they contain ALA. While the body is able to convert ALA into DHA and EPA, the process is inefficient and variable and only a portion of the ALA is converted into DHA. This by no means devalues these foods as a source of omega 3 fatty acids, and for those who avoid animal sources of omega 3s, they are still excellent sources of ALA.

A few examples of plant sources and their quantities of omega-3s are:
Flaxseed oil, 1 tablespoon . . . . . 8.5 grams of ALA
English walnuts, 1 ounce. . . . . . 2.6 grams of ALA
Flaxseeds, 1 tablespoon. . . . . . . 2.2 grams of ALA
Canola oil, 1 tablespoon. . . . . . . 1.2 grams of ALA

Many of these oils are readily available, and can be used in salad dressings (walnut oil is particularly tasty), or drizzled over many foods, adding omega 3s as well as flavor to a dish. Keep in mind that some of these oils are perishable and in order to retain their viability, they should not be heated. Other good sources of omega 3s, which are easily incorporated into prepared foods are pumpkin seeds (and pumpkin seed oil), purslane, perilla seed oil, and soybeans (and soybean oil). Just think of how easy it can be to make homemade omega 3 rich vegetarian granola by adding a number of these nuts and seeds to some oats and either honey or rice syrup and toasting. It’s an instant omega 3 supplement.

Other Methods
While incorporating a number of these foods into one’s diet is one way to ensure one gets enough omega-3s, it may not be particularly easy to consume the volume of specific fatty acids that your body needs (e.g. DHA). For this reason, supplements can be an effective method of maintaining a healthful level of these fatty acids in one’s body. If one chooses to supplement, one good strategy is to find brands that use “Neuromins,” or “Life’sDHA,” which comes from a company that produces an all-natural, vegetarian source of DHA extracted directly from algae. There are other manufacturers as well that will stipulate that their product is derived from algae. These products are usually vegetarian or vegan products as long as they are encapsulated in gelatin free capsules (which it is most of the time). Rea the label if your desire is to supplement specifically with DHA and not just a spectrum of Omega 3s. Keep in mind that there are supplements that are solely DHA, and those that contain an EPA/DHA blend. Inspect them carefully to ensure that you are purchasing what you want. Since DHA is the most studied omega 3 fatty acid, it is more likely that specifically vegetarian sources will contain primarily DHA, but it should not be too difficult to find the blended products, and a good idea to supplement with both fatty acids if one can.

Overall Health and Well Being
The FDA has not released a daily recommended intake of DHA or EPA. Studies indicate that a baseline of 200 mg of DHA daily is sufficient for a healthy adult, with pregnant and nursing mothers requiring additional DHA for their growing child.

There are no also no noted health risks from consuming a larger quantity than specified, and since most individuals are sorely lacking this essential nutrient, seeking foods that are high in omega-3s is generally recommended by most physicians. Incorporating more leafy vegetables (collard greens, kale, brussles sprouts), and nuts and oils into one’s diet is a simple way to increase the amount of omega-3 fatty acids that your body can put to good use. Studies indicate that even small increases in omega 3 in one’s diet can lead to significant improvements in cardiovascular health. Since there are a myriad of foods that supply these fats, it’s not difficult to find some that fit one’s particular taste. Eating more of these overlooked fatty acids is an inexpensive and effective way to improve cardiovascular health, and by making a few changes in one’s diet, one can reap the benefits of these essential fatty acids. Either with supplements, or adding a few nuts, seeds or vegetables to one’s diet, a vegetarian can be sure that they are getting the ‘good fats’ in their daily routine, and hopefully assuring themselves a healthier future.

For a more detailed list of dietary sources of omega 3 fatty acids, head over to the primary omega 3 FAQ site where you can find tables of various food items, as well as their nutritional values.

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