Feed Your Brain and Body: The Power of Omega-3s

If like me you grew up in the era of low-fat marketing then it can feel contradictory to be told to eat more fat – especially if you are concerned about putting on weight. However, not all fats are equal. You could think of omega-3s as peace-keepers: as well as playing a vital role in heart health and repair, they support mood, brain, eye and skin health and even ease hormonal ups and downs. Not only that, but foods rich in omega-3s are also often rich in other key nutrients – for instance, nuts are packed with vitamin E, which is beneficial for skin health.

The PURE study in 2017 found that high-carbohydrate diets led to the highest mortality rates. Put bluntly, people consuming more fat, contributing about 35% of their daily energy requirements, were less likely to die than those consuming only 10% of their daily energy requirements as fat.

We need good fats in our diet: in fact, every single cell in our body needs fats to function optimally. 

However, most modern diets are overloaded with omega-6 fats (from processed food, plant oils and grain-fed meat and dairy) while most people eat relatively few omega-3 rich foods (e.g. salmon, mackerel, sardines, flax seeds or pumpkin seeds). Historically, humans had equal amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 in their diets but current research shows that a typical Western diet has a ratio of around 16:1 in favour of omega-6.

Image: Kaffee Meister

What Are the Best Sources of Omega-3s?

The best sources of omega-3s are oily fish such as mackerel, salmon (choose wild salmon), trout, anchovies and sardines. Aim for 2-3 portions a week if you eat fish. 

There are also omega-3s in chia, hemp, pumpkin and flax seeds and in walnuts – which have plenty of other beneficial nutrients (and fibre) as well – but omega-3s in plant form are harder for our bodies to convert. Plant-based sources of omega-3s mainly provide ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), which your body can only partially convert into the more active forms of omega-3s (EPA and DHA), found in fish. While conversion isn’t super-efficient, regular intake of these foods still supports heart, brain and cell health.

So for those who are vegetarian, vegan or don’t eat much fish, a good-quality omega-3 supplement can be a game-changer. Vegan omega-3 supplements made from algae are now available. You can get in touch here if you’d like a recommendation. 

Image: Micheile Henderson

How Much Omega-3 Should You Eat Each Week?

People who eat oily fish would benefit from 2-3 portions a week, for example:

• one evening meal based on a fillet of wild salmon

• one lunch that includes a tin of sardines 

• a fillet of smoked mackerel made into a pâté with a tablespoon of Greek or coconut yoghurt and salt and pepper for another lunch

If that sounds like a lot, why not start with one portion a week and work your way up? 

Image: Amy Vann

How to Eat More Plant-Based Omega-3s

• add a few walnuts on your breakfast each morning 

• chia puddings for breakfast or dessert 2-3 times per week – you can find a versatile recipe for chia puddings here that can be made ahead of time for an easy grab-and-go option 

• add a sprinkling of hemp hearts to your evening meal

• flax seeds are best eaten freshly ground, so the easiest thing is to blend them into smoothies 

Why not pick one idea from this list to try this week? 

Image: Tom Hermans

How to Find Out More

My approach in clinic is always to look at the root cause driving each person’s symptoms but also to understand their personal needs and circumstances so I can make recommendations that are personalised and achievable rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. If you are interested in finding out more, I have a limited number of free Discovery call slots available – you can find out more and book here.