I am sure that by now, just about everyone and their grandmother knows about the benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids. If you don’t, let’s recap. Omega 3s help to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, improve hormonal balance, help ease joint pain, reduce inflammation and they also have a ton of other benefits still being discovered to this day. In this article we will go over some alternative sources of Omega 3.
The most common source of these magical fatty acids is seafood. Now, if you’re like me, you just don’t like seafood, maybe you’re allergic to some types of sea creatures. Well, fear not, here comes this article to the rescue. I’m going to tell you about three fantastic sources of Omega 3s that have nothing to do with the ocean.
Chia Seeds
Everyone is talking about these tiny little seeds these days and for good reason. They are virtually tasteless, can go into just about any meal or drink and provide you with a ton of nutrition, including protein, omega 3s and heart-healthy fiber. An ounce of chia seeds contains 5 grams of the Omega 3 fatty acids.
Add them to smoothies, shakes, yogurts, salads or even as a crust for your favorite meat dish. You can also use them as a replacement for fat (such as oil or butter in baking recipes).
Walnuts
These oddly shaped nuts contain more healthy fats than any other nut in existence. An ounce contains just over 2 grams and most of us eat much more than that anyway. Just be careful because walnuts are higher in calories so don’t go overboard with them.
Walnuts go great in healthy salads but let’s be real, most of us just want to shove a fistful into our mouth and snack on these delicious treats.
Flaxseed
They are slightly similar to the chia seeds. Coming in at 3grams of Omega 3 to an ounce of seeds, these tiny little seeds are nutritional powerhouses. Like the chia, they also contain protein and fiber but with an added boost of minerals such as magnesium, manganese and the essential vitamin B-1.
If possible, try to buy the whole seeds and grind them yourself before use as they lose their flavor (and benefits) once ground and kept for long. You can use them in a similar way to chia seeds and you can even make a flax seed ‘egg’ by combining three tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of the seed. This makes one ‘egg’.
I hope that these alternative sources of Omega 3 can help!