Your body does not make omega 3 itself. You must therefore get it from your diet. We list what good ingredients are to get enough omega 3.
The best fatty fish choices (with a lot of omega 3)
- Fish fatty acids are mainly found in fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines and trout. White (lean) fish also contains fish fatty acids, but much less.
- Fish get their fish fatty acids from algae. Products made from algae, such as pasta made from it, are therefore also very good.
- Eggs and meat also contain (a little) fish fatty acids. However, the levels in it vary enormously, and are partly dependent on the feed that the animals have been fed.
- In some foods, such as certain margarines, not only vegetable omega-3 fatty acids, but also fish fatty acids are added.
- The vegetable omega-3 fatty acid ALA is mainly found in linseed oil. It occurs to a lesser extent in rapeseed oil, soybean oil, (wal)nuts and vegetable (diet) margarines. Green leafy vegetables and meat contain very small amounts of ALA.
Omega 3 from fish oil capsules
There are many different types of fish oil capsules on the market, which vary a lot in quality. In any case, pay attention to the amount of DHA and EPA in the capsules. It is also important that they do not contain any (unknown) additives, but only fish oil. According to professor Mensink, it is good to keep in mind that in addition to omega 3 fatty acids, fish also contain vitamins and minerals, which may play a role in the positive health effect. Eating fresh fish is better than swallowing capsules.
Lost track when it comes to omega fatty acids? Read the article Everything you need to know about omega 3 and omega 6.
This article previously appeared in the February 2018 issue | Text:Marte van Santen | Image:Shutterstock
