Omega-3 fatty acids support our heart health and benefit our overall health.
Table of Content
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What is Omega-3 Fatty acid?
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What role do omega-3 fatty acids have in our health?
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Food sources of omega-3 fatty acids
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Seven Reasons why Omega-3 is Important
What is omega-3 Fatty acid?
Omega-3 is one of the essential nutrients our body requires. We get these nutrients from food or supplements, which are vital in maintaining and building our health.
What role do omega-3 fatty acids have in our health?
Omega-3 fatty acids are nutrients that help the cells in our body to function appropriately as they should. They are a vital part of your cell membranes, helping the human body cells to provide structure and support interactions between the cells. omega 3 is vital for our eyes and brain.
In addition, omega 3s provide our body with energy and support the many body systems. These include our cardiovascular system and endocrine system.
Food sources of omega-3 fatty acids
Our body does not produce omega 3 in sufficient quantity as per the requirement. Therefore, it is important to obtain omega-3 externally. The best source of this valuable nutrient is through certain types of food type, which may include:
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Vegetarian Source |
Non – Vegetarian Source |
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Seven Reasons why Omega-3 is Important
Omega-3 is crucial for our health, but here are seven important benefits of this nutrient that make it vital.
Prevents heart disease: Heart diseases and strokes are among the world’s leading causes of death. Consumption of omega-3 helps in reducing the risk of heart-related diseases.
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Omega-3 significantly reduces levels of triglycerides
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It can raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
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Omega-3s keep blood platelets from clumping together. This prevents the formation of harmful blood clots.
May help prevent cancer: Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of certain cancers like prostate cancer and breast cancer. It helps in the proper functioning of the cells, thereby preventing cancerous growth.
May improve mental disorders: Low omega-3 may cause psychiatric disorders. On the contrary, enough omega-3 fatty acids reduce violent behaviour. Omega-3 supplements can improve symptoms in people with both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Helpful to treat metabolic syndrome: Metabolic syndrome is a collection of conditions. It includes central obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. Metabolic syndrome increases our risk of many other illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes.
May reduce inflammation: Inflammation is a natural response to infections and damage in our body. It can sometimes persist longer, even without an infection or injury. This is called chronic or long-term inflammation. Long-term inflammation can contribute to many serious illnesses, including heart disease and cancer. However, omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the production of molecules and substances linked to inflammation, such as inflammatory eicosanoids and cytokines.
Helpful in autoimmune diseases: Our immune system mistakes healthy cells for foreign cells and starts attacking them. Type 1 diabetes is an example in which our immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in our pancreas. Omega-3s may also help treat lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and psoriasis.
Good cure for fatty liver: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common condition characterized by fat accumulation in the liver. Fatty liver can cause several other liver related conditions, including liver scarring or cirrhosis. Good levels of omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce liver fat and inflammation in people with NAFLD.
Omega-3 fatty acid deficiency can deteriorate our health and may affect our overall health. Therefore, we must ensure our diet has a sufficient amount of omega-3 sources so that it can help us maintain good health.
