Omega-3 Fatty Acids

According to two of the most credible nutrition authorities, the World Health Organization and the European Food Safety Authority, we should get at least a half a percent of our calories from the short-chain omega-3 ALA. That’s easy: My Daily Dozen recommendation for one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds takes care of that. Our body can then take that short-chain omega-3 and elongate it into the long-chain omega-3s EPA and DHA found in fish fat.

Why not supplement with omega-3 fish oil or just eat fish, though?

Fish oil pills have grown into a multibillion-dollar industry, thanks in part to the American Heart Association’s recommendation that individuals at high risk for heart disease should ask their physicians about omega-3 fish oil supplementation. But what does the science say?

A systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at all the best randomized clinical trials evaluating the effects of omega-3 fats on life span, cardiac death, sudden death, heart attack, and stroke. These included studies not only on fish oil supplements, but also on the effects of advising people to eat more oily fish. Overall, the researchers found no protective benefit for overall mortality, heart disease mortality, sudden cardiac death, heart attack, or stroke.

After putting all the studies together, researchers concluded there was no longer justification for the use of omega-3s in everyday clinical practice.

Check out the video below for more information on which foods are best for you.