Healthy Oils: Omega-3 Fats - MyHealth Alberta

Healthy Oils: Omega-3 Fats
What are omega-3 fats?
Omega-3 fats are healthy fats that you must get from
food. The 3 main types of omega-3 fats are:
� eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
� decosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
� alpha linoleic acid (ALA)
EPA and DHA are thought to have the most known
health benefits. The best sources are fish with a high
fat content like salmon and sardines. However, all
types of fish contain some omega-3.
ALA is found mainly in plants such as
nuts, flaxseed, canola and soybean
oils. Small amounts of ALA are
changed to DHA and EPA by your
body. It is important you choose
foods that provide a variety of the
3 types of omega-3 fats.
You can find foods that are fortified with omega-3 fats
such as eggs, milk, yogurt, and juice. Check the
Nutrition Facts table on the food item to find out how
much omega-3 fat is in one serving of the product.
Health benefits of omega-3 fats
Research has shown that eating omega-3 fats (mainly
EPA and DHA) lowers your risk for heart disease. EPA
and DHA can also help lower triglycerides. Other
research has shown that EPA and DHA play an
important part in brain development and mental health.
Studies are being done on the role of omega-3 fats in
many other areas of health such as pregnancy,
inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
How much omega-3 do I need?
For the many healthy benefits and to prevent heart
disease, it is important to include foods in your diet that
provide omega-3 fats.
Canada’s Food Guide
recommends everyone eat a
variety of fatty fish at least twice
a week and include foods and oils
rich in ALA. See the section “How to increase omega-3
in your diet” for ideas on choosing oils and foods with
omega-3 fats.
Guidelines for the treatment of heart
disease in adults
If you have heart disease:
Have 1000 milligrams* (1 gram) daily of EPA and DHA
from fatty fish or foods fortified with omega-3 fats in the
form of EPA and DHA. Talk to your doctor before
starting an omega-3 supplement.
If you have high blood triglyceride levels:
Talk to your doctor about taking 2000 to 4000
milligrams (2 to 4 grams) daily of EPA and DHA as a
supplement.
Caution:
Adults taking more than 3000 milligrams (3 grams)
of omega-3 fats from supplements should do so only
under a doctor’s care. High intakes can cause
excessive bleeding in some people.
*milligrams = mg
Source: American Heart Association
Developed by Registered Dietitians Nutrition Services
Community Health Services

How to increase omega-3 fats in your
diet
The best way way to increase omega-3 fats in your diet is to
choose fish more often. Canada’s Canada’s Food Guide Guide
recommends eating at least two 2 ½ ounce (75 grams)
servings of fish per week. week. Choose fish such as herring, herring,
Atlantic mackerel, salmon, salmon, sardines sardines and rainbow trout.
If you do not eat fish you can still get omega-3 fats from
your diet by using the tips below:
� � Add flax seed oil, walnut oil or canola oil to salad
dressings.
� � Use ground flax in recipes.
� � Add walnuts to salads, cereals, or baking.
� � Try breads and cereals that have added flax seed.
� � Choose products fortified with the 3 different
omega-3 fats such as eggs, milk, juice, yogurt,
breads and cereals and margarine.
� � Check the Nutrition Facts table on food packages
for the amount of omega-3 fats in the food.
If you have allergies to fish, avoid fish oil
supplements and omega-3 products made with fish
oil. Read the ingredient list on the package to find
out if a supplement or product contains fish oil.
Food sources of omega-3 fats
ALA
(mg)
DHA
(mg)
EPA
(mg)
Flaxseed oil, 1 tsp (5 mL) 2581 - -
Flaxseeds, ground
1 Tbsp (15 mL)
Salmon, Atlantic
2 ½ oz (75 g)
Tuna, light, canned in water
2 ½ oz (75 g)
Rainbow Trout
2 ½ oz (75 g)
Walnuts, chopped
¼ cup (60 mL)
1641 - -
85 1093 518
- 167 35
140 390 351
2694 - -
Are there risks of eating fish?
Some fish contain higher levels of a toxin called
mercury. Choosing low mercury fish can help you
obtain the benefits of fish, while decreasing any risks.
Everyone aged 2 and up can safely eat at least two
2 ½ ounce (75 grams) servings of low mercury fish
each week. Examples of low mercury fish include
herring, Atlantic mackerel, salmon, sardines, and
rainbow trout.
Higher mercury fish that should be limited are escolar,
marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish and fresh or
frozen tuna. It may be safest for pregnant and
breastfeeding women and children under 2 to avoid
these fish. Ask your health care provider for more
information on the safety of fish.
What about omega-3 supplements?
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist, if you are thinking
about using supplements, especially if you are taking
any other medications, and also before you give
supplements to your child.
� Look for a Drug Identification Number (DIN) or a
Natural Product Number (NPN) on supplement
bottles. These numbers tell you that Health Canada
finds the product to be safe and useful if you follow
the directions on the package.
� Look for supplements with fish oil as the source of
omega-3 to make sure you get EPA and DHA. Fish
oil supplements rarely contain mercury.
� Some fish oil supplements such as cod liver oil
contain high amounts of vitamin A and D. These
high amounts can cause toxicity in some people.
� If you are vegetarian, look for kelp- or seaweedbased
supplements that contain EPA and DHA.
� If your fish oil supplements have a “fishy” aftertaste,
try storing them in the freezer and taking them while
they are frozen.
Omega-3-6-9 supplements are not better than
omega-3 supplements. Omega-6 fats are very
common in our food supply, and omega-9 fats are
made in your body. No health benefits have been
shown from supplements of omega-6 and omega-9
fats.
� 2008 Alberta Health Services Reviewed November 2010 RNFS-4001
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Alberta Health Services. Direct correspondence to Nutrition Services. This information is intended as a general resource
only and is not meant to replace the medical counsel of your physician or individual consultation with a Registered Dietitian.