Your Complete Guide to Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Like no other time in history, it is essential that we consume the most healthy and nutritious foods available. With this focus in mind, Kvarøy Arctic is thrilled to announce their fish is the first sustainably-raised Atlantic-farmed salmon to be certified as a heart-healthy food choice by the American Heart Association’s Heart Check program.
Kvarøy Arctic salmon has more omega-3 content of other farmed salmon – just a 3.5 ounce serving gives over 2 grams of top gun Omega 3’s. This nutritional achievement has been achieved naturally through pioneering work with Corbion, a Dutch food and biochemical company, to use fermented microalgae as a sustainable source of omega-3s. Instead of dragging large nets across the ocean for small feeder fish, Kvarøy Arctic is deriving omega-3s directly from the microalgae the small fish would consume. The food chain is bypassed, enhancing the wild fish population. The non-GMO algae oil is efficiently produced using energy from spent sugar cane biomass. Nothing is wasted, and together with trimmings from processed North American wild fish, the fish-in fish-out ratio of Kvarøy Arctic is stunning and best in class: less than ½ to 1.
Simply said: Kvarøy Arctic salmon are reared on a diet that is good for the fish and ultimately good for you. With their feed, they have restored the natural Omega-3 levels of salmon. Salmon need Omega-3 fatty acids to develop properly and to fight disease; the same is true for humans. Consuming healthy EPA/DHA Omega-3 oils have shown to decrease the risk of coronary disease, stabilize blood sugars and mood, and increase brain power – perhaps protecting against dementia and Alzheimer’s. But some of the most intriguing research being released is about Omega 3’s immune boosting power – top of mind for these days and times.
What makes Omega-3 fats special?
All fat is not created equal, there are some fats that increase our risk of disease and there are others that protect us. Some fats maintain our health, and some promote and propel whole-body wellness. The star of those that are protective are Omega-3 fatty acids. These are known as "essential" fatty acids, meaning that our bodies cannot produce them from scratch, so they must be consumed in food. There are long chain omega 3’s (found only in cold water fish and seafood) and there are also plant forms – alpha linolenic acid or ALA’s – which are short chain omega 3’s.
What makes Omega-3 fats so vital for optimal health?
They are an integral part of cell membranes throughout the body and affect the function of the cell receptors in these membranes. Omega-3s allow nutrients to enter the cell more efficiently and waste products to exit. They also provide the starting point for making hormones that regulate blood clotting, contraction, and relaxation of artery walls. These top-gun fats lower blood pressure and heart rate, improve blood vessel function, and, at higher doses, lower triglycerides and may ease inflammation, which plays a role in the development of atherosclerosis. They have a wide range of impressive health benefits for the rest of the body, too - from boosting your immune army's fighting power and elevating your mood to smoothing your skin, aiding weight loss, and minimizing the effects of degenerative and inflammatory diseases like lupus, eczema, and rheumatoid arthritis. And, they may play protective roles in cancer and other conditions. Omega-3 fatty acids literally promote and propel our health and wellness from head to toe.
There are three main Omega-3s:
Eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA and DHA, for short) come mainly from fatty fish, so they are sometimes called marine Omega-3s. Both are potent anti-inflammatories. Although EPA and DHA can be obtained through supplements, and supplements may be helpful as a therapeutic treatment, they have not been found to confer the health benefits associated with eating fish. Cold water fish overflows with EPA and DHA. According to the American Heart Association, consuming just two 3.5 oz. servings per week of non-fried, preferably oily, fish is associated with lower risk of coronary artery disease, with studies showing that people who eat fish regularly are less likely to die from a heart attack or stroke, or develop Alzheimer's disease. In fact, studies have shown that eating Omega-3-rich fish just once a week may lower a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's and slow cognitive impairment significantly.
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the most common Omega-3 fatty acid in most Western diets, is found in vegetable oils and nuts, flax seeds and flaxseed oil, leafy vegetables, and some animal fat, especially in grass-fed animals and eggs from chickens fed a high ALA diet. The human body generally uses ALA for energy. The typical American diet contains plenty of ALA, but is lacking in Omega-3s since most of us do not consume enough fish, nor on a regular basis. Most all of the research on the health and wellness benefits has been done on long chain Omega 3’s. The body can convert small amounts of the short chain ALA omegas to the long chain DHA and EPA – but not well, and not consistent person to person. We need cold water fish and seafood to get the nutritional power they provide.
So, go fish! When possible, try to get omega-3 fatty acids from foods first, supplements as needed. Each week, aim to eat 8-12 ounces of salmon high in DNA and EPA Omega-3 fatty acids (or other cold water oily fish like striped bass, tuna, trout, mackerel, sardines and black cod per week to achieve a 250 mg average daily intake of EPA and DHA. You receive much more Omega 3’s with Kvarøy Arctic Salmon – the perfect combination of nutritious and delicious!
BONUS VIDEOs
Sit down with some of the most respected Registered Dietitians and Nutritionists from across the country to discuss Omegas and the essential role they play in helping you stay well, live well, and age well.
