omega-3 oil

[Hujewman]

where do you get your omega3? i used to take omega3 oil pills that came from fish, because my mom forced me, but i don't anymore. How important is it anyway?

[hazily]

you can get omega 3's by adding ground flax seeds to your food or in a smoothie. Walnuts are a good source of omega 3's too.

[Tom]

I'm glad you started this thread!

I've been thinking about this too. Lately (over the past year or two) I've been eating about a tablespoon of ground flax seeds each day for the omega-3s. But there are 3 different kinds of omega-3s. Flax seeds have one kind (ALA, I think) and you body can make the other 2 (EPA and DHA- but I'm not sure) out of the omega-3s in flax, but the conversion isn't 100% efficient, and I guess if you have an excess of omega-6 fats in your diet, that might interfere with the converson.

The other 2 omega-3s can be obtained ready-made from either fish oil (unacceptable to me), or else made from certain algae. I'm looking for an algae source; I think someone posted a link in another thread here...

As for how important they are, they're used for various things in the body. I don't remember them all. I've googled "essential fatty acids", which is what they are, and there's a lot of information.

[dirkduck]

Hemp oil/powder also is a really good source.

I personally throw a few tablespoons into my oatmeal for breakfast every morning; tastes really good and is cheap. I had hemp protein powder at one point which was really good, but from what I can tell hemp products can be fairly expensive.

[leminchyl]

Hemp oil/powder also is a really good source.

I personally throw a few tablespoons into my oatmeal for breakfast every morning; tastes really good and is cheap. I had hemp protein powder at one point which was really good, but from what I can tell hemp products can be fairly expensive.

hemp seed powder is what i use. i mix 2 tablespoons with a cup of chocolate soymilk every morning. its not the best mixing stuff, but it doesnt taste bad, either.

[Fyvel]

You can actually get flaxseed oil now that contains DHA from algae. The brand I'm aware of is Spectrum, there may be others but I am not familiar with them.

Your body can convert some of the fatty acids in walnuts, flaxseeds, etc into DHA, but how well your body does this is up for debate. It's very important to get the proper ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in your diet so you can properly produce DHA (you want less omega-6 than is in the current typical diet and more omega-3).

[Cyrillia]

I'm glad you started this thread!

I've been thinking about this too. Lately (over the past year or two) I've been eating about a tablespoon of ground flax seeds each day for the omega-3s. But there are 3 different kinds of omega-3s. Flax seeds have one kind (ALA, I think) and you body can make the other 2 (EPA and DHA- but I'm not sure) out of the omega-3s in flax, but the conversion isn't 100% efficient, and I guess if you have an excess of omega-6 fats in your diet, that might interfere with the converson.

The other 2 omega-3s can be obtained ready-made from either fish oil (unacceptable to me), or else made from certain algae. I'm looking for an algae source; I think someone posted a link in another thread here...

As for how important they are, they're used for various things in the body. I don't remember them all. I've googled "essential fatty acids", which is what they are, and there's a lot of information.

This: http://www.water4.net/ is the information you seek! :D

[Tom]

Thanks, Cyrillia! (Love your avatar...)

Here are two interesting, very technical letters about Essential Fatty Acids from a mainstream organization (the American Heart Association):

http://www.circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/97/25/2580

[Vegreenmom]

I add flax to almost all of my meals and I also eat walnuts :)

[eggplant]

Purslane is also a source of omega-3s. Unfortunately, I don't see it sold very often.

[hoodedclawjen]

there is always this stuff:

http://www.florahealth.com/flora/home/usa/products/R67998.asp