If you skimp on healthy fats—omega-3s in fish, supplements, and some plant and dairy products—you’re missing out on a great way to help prevent a host of common problems. Here’s a quick look at how good these fats really are, and the best ways to work them into your life.
1. Fight those aches
How omega-3s help:
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center found that
nearly two-thirds of patients suffering from chronic neck and back pain
stopped needing anti-inflammatory pain pills after taking fish-oil
pills for 20 to 30 days. The key may be omega-3s’ ability to fight
inflammation.
How to get them: You don’t necessarily have to
take the pills, says Joseph C. Maroon, MD, a University of Pittsburgh
neurosurgeon. Cold-water ocean fish (salmon, mackerel, herring) and
lake trout are the best sources of anti-inflammatory omega-3s.
2. Stay slim
How omega-3s help:
Mood swings can lead to bring-on-the-brownies moments that sabotage
your efforts to lose weight. Omega-3s may help by stabilizing your
moods, says Douglas Bibus, PhD, an omega-3 researcher and scientist at
the University of Minnesota’s Academic Health Center.
How to get them: Bibus recommends taking a high-quality supplement for 30 days. If you don’t notice a difference, increase your dosage.
3. Have more “up” days
How omega-3s help:
Another form of omega-3s known as DHA makes up 25 percent of your
body’s brain fat and manages the production and flow of the feel-good
chemical serotonin. People who battle depression seem to be
DHA-deficient.
How to get them: Researchers believe a DHA
supplement may be a gentler (and ultimately more effective) alternative
to antidepressants, says David Perlmutter, MD, author of The Better Brain Book
and an expert on the relationship between nutrition and neurological
disorders. But don’t count on just any supplement available at a
drugstore or on the Web. Go to consumerlab.com/results/omega3.asp
to find a list of omega-3 supplements judged in independent tests to be
fresh and free of contaminants, and to have the amount of good fats
listed on the label.
4. Breathe easier
How omega-3s help:
Omega-3s may help reduce the inflammation associated with asthma. In a
recent Indiana University study, patients taking fish-oil supplements
were better at controlling exercise-triggered symptoms than people
taking a placebo or just eating a normal diet were.
How to get them: A supplement is your best bet, Bibus says.
5. Keep your heart healthy
How omega-3s help:
In addition to fighting inflammation, omega-3s may lower blood pressure
and reduce clotting. And they may help fight diabetes, too. “Diabetes
has a strong inflammatory component, which leads to a much greater risk
of developing heart disease,” Bibus explains. Omega-3s help cells lower
blood sugar, a key to avoiding diabetes, Perlmutter adds.
How to get them:
Eat plant foods like flax, walnuts, spinach, arugula, avocados, and
canola oil, and soy products like full-fat tofu and edamame. They have
a form of omega-3s called ALA that may help prevent heart disease,
according to Harvard Medical School scientists. Also eat coldwater fish
twice a week. And if you like eggs, shop for brands like Eggland’s Best
that contain high levels of omega-3s. Bon appétit.