Considerable research has been done on the effects of Omega 3 fish oil on the body, and the conditions it helps to prevent.
In the 1970s, scientists began to investigate why the Inuit people of Greenland suffered very little heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis, despite their diets being high in fats. The link proved to be omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3s are essential fatty acids, responsible for balancing blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart attack, hardening of the arteries and strokes.
The other essential fatty acids are called omega-6, which promote blood clotting, inflammation and tumor growth. Nutritionists now realize how important it is to balance these two types of essential fatty acids by taking Omega 3 fish oil supplements.
Why do we need extra Omega 3?
The reason we need to supplement Omega 3 fish oil is due to the modern western diet that is high in omega6 rich foods like cereals and bread, baked and fried food and margarine. This means we don’t have the proper balance of essential fatty acids.
The best food sources of Omega 3 include cold water fish like tuna, salmon and mackerel, some nuts, avocados, seaweed and certain vegetable oils (olive, canola, flaxseed and soybean). High quality Omega 3 fish oil supplements contain a high concentration of both ingredients that make up omega-3 fatty acids.
So what are the real health benefits of taking an Omega 3 fish oil supplement?
On-going research is showing us these important health benefits of omega-3.
- You need fish oil supplements to bring the essential fatty acids into balance in your body and reduce the negative effects of the omega-6. Scientists believe that many common health problems are caused by imbalances in the body.
- Omega-3 fish oil lowers triglycerides (the “bad” cholesterol) and helps to stabilize our blood cholesterol.
- It seems to prevent and treat coronary heart disease and high blood pressure.
- Recent research is showing that larger doses of omega 3 fish oil are effective in the prevention and treatment of many diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Crohn’s, bipolar, depression, ADHD, diabetes and arthritis. This is quite an impressive list and makes it definitely worthwhile to take fish oil supplements.
- There is evidence that omega-3 might help to prevent some cancers.
- Omega-3 assists in the healthy development of the foetus and increased IQ development in unborn babies.
It isn’t easy to get sufficient omega-3 fatty acids from your diet; you would need to eat lots of cold water fish every day to maintain optimum levels.
Even then, you would still not be certain that you had eaten the correct amount. The easiest and smartest way to make sure your essential fatty acids are in balance is to take a supplement of omega 3 fish oil each day.
You don’t have to worry about smelling fishy either; most fish oil comes in a gel capsule, so you don’t get any fishy after-taste – this was always the most common complaint from people who took omega 3 fish oil supplements in the past.
Omega 3 fish oil contains essential elements that are necessary for your good health and are useful in treating and preventing many health problems.
