We hear the word fats and we freak out. For most of us, fats equal obesity and weight gain. While this may be true for most of the part, we miss out on the good fats that are essential for maintaining optimum body health.
For basic knowledge, know that there are different types of fats. We have saturated, unsaturated, Trans, omega 3 fatty acids etc.
The types of fats you need to stay away from as much as you can are the saturated and Trans fat. The kinds you need are the unsaturated and the omega 3.
Why Choose Omega 3?
Recent studies have proved great benefits of omega-3. Some studies have associated intake of fatty fish with decreased levels of depression. It has also been associated with better outcomes after heart attack and even reduced incidence of the disease. Moreover, women who have been known to consume fatty fish crammed with omega-3 had decreased menopausal symptoms. Besides, these fats are also great for your skin and hair.
Eating omega 3- rich fish, such as herring, mackerel, tuna, salmon and sardine about 2 to 3 times a week is healthy for you. If you’re not a fan of fish, do not be sad, there are lots of other healthy sources to get your omega-3s. Read further to explore your options.
1 Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds are small nutty seeds jam-packed with ALA and make one of the richest sources of Alpha-linolinec acid (ALA). To cover approximately 57% of your daily ALA demand, just add 1 tablespoon of Flaxseeds in your food, or use a tablespoon or two of crushed flaxseed oil and mix it in your morning yogurt or oatmeal.
When eaten alone they may taste nutty, but when use in crushed form or stirred in yogurt or oatmeal, they are mostly tasteless. Also, they are easily available in any store.
2 Canola oil
While this option may not be as potent as flaxseed oil, canola oil still makes a resonance source of your omega 3 fatty acids. 1 tablespoon of canola oil covers about 11% of your ALA demand. But it’s best to not rely on it to meet your complete demand because like any oil, it is high in calories.
3 Walnuts
These are fun to eat and make for great snacks. A quart cup will provide about 14 percent of your daily demand of ALA. But again, they are high in calories so you might want to watch how many you munch. A good idea wild be to replace your packet of chips for snacks with walnuts. But do not forget to keep a count since they are crammed with calories just like olive oil.
4 Mixed Greens
Mix kale with spinach and choose any other from the vast family of green leafy vegetables. A cup will meet about 56 percent of your daily ALA demand. You can preferably eat two to get over the bump. These will not only provide you with the benefits of omega 3 but are loaded with many other nutrients and minerals especially iron and magnesium
5 Tofu and Soybeans
These meet some of your daily ALA demand. If you ever see them available, you know it’s best to add some tofu to your meal and you can always count on them for some of you daily ALA demand.
6 Olive Oil
If you need oil for stir frying or sautéing, know that olive oil is the way to go. Again, this is dense in calories so do not over use. But if you already use oil for cooking, it is best to use olive oil instead. It will definitely be way healthier.
