Omega-3: the alpha oil

Everyone can benefit from increasing their Omega-3 intake.

Marine Omega-3 is found in various concentrations in many different kinds of seafood. It comes from the family of 'good' fats that are not only beneficial for health but that are essential in the diet. These fats cannot be made by the body, so a dietary supplement is essential.

Study after study shows that people in Western countries do not eat enough seafood. From healthy hearts to healthy minds, everyone can benefit from increasing their Omega-3 intake and thereby significantly reducing their chances of developing diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Omega-3 has been associated with brain development, joint function, healthy skin and eyes and also with better mental health.

While diet experts suggest that we should eat fewer saturated fats, they agree that other fats are good for us. These 'good fat' are monounsaturated fats from olive oil and polyunsaturated fats from vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and seafood.  Studies show that heart health is better when saturated fats are replaced by these healthier fats. Seafood, particularly oil-rich fish, contains a combination of long chain polyunsaturated fats Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA). These are thought to confer special health benefits that are not seen when nuts and seeds are eaten.

The dietary balance between Omega-6 (w-6) and Omega-3 (w-3) fats is thought to be important. In the past (when we had healthier hearts and fewer allergies) our dietary w-6 to w-3 ratio was 2:1. But now we consume about 7 times more w-6 than w-3.  This means that we are eating too many w-6 fats from spread and vegetable oils and too little w-3 fats from nuts, seeds and seafood.

As part of the materials we have available, we're also making factsheets on eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) available to download. These are the constituent parts of long-chain omega-3, present in seafood in concentrations not found in any other foodstuff.