Many people don’t get enough of the key nutrient
A nutrition expert has recommended a supplement(Image: Getty)
You may want to think about adding a supplement to your diet, to boost your brain and heart health. A nutrition expert has listed the benefits of the essential nutrient, as only specific foods contain sufficient amounts for your requirements.
Philip Calder, a professor of Nutritional Immunology, discussed the significance of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. He said: “EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are the two most biologically active omega-3 fatty acids and are key structural components throughout the body.
“As a result, they have benefits for our body functions such as visual, brain and heart health, where omega-3s are recognised to support these functions. We cannot easily produce omega-3 from scratch, so we should try to get them through diet.”
However, only a limited number of foods deliver these vital fatty acids. The expert said: “The main dietary source of EPA and DHA is oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines.
“The UK Government actually recommends an intake of at least two portions of fish per week, including one portion oily fish to make sure people are getting enough EPA and DHA.” He noted that no other foods contain substantial quantities of omega-3.
Supplements are available
Fortunately, you can get supplements to help meet your essential needs. Professor Calder explained: “Fish oil supplements are a good source of EPA and DHA, and can be used for those who do not eat enough oily fish. Regarding the best time to eat foods that contain omega-3 (that is oily fish) it does not matter, but it is important to take fish oil supplements with a meal to top-up if needed.”
The academic said that extensive research shows these supplements work. He said: “There is a vast amount of research on these omega-3s and most of the human research looking at their effects has been done using supplements, so we know that EPA and DHA from supplements have the recognised benefits.
“How well a supplement will work is all about how much EPA and DHA is in the supplement – the more, the better. So consumers should read the label and look for how much EPA and DHA there is in each capsule.”
Many people don’t get enough
The professor said that many people don’t realise how vital omega-3s are for supporting heart, brain and visual health throughout your life. Scientific evidence suggests the optimal omega-3 index level, which indicates the quantity of omega-3 in your blood, is 8 per cent.
However, the average omega-3 index in the UK stands at merely 5.5 per cent. Professor Calder said: “A daily intake of around 1000mg of EPA and DHA daily can support reaching an 8 percent index within 12 weeks or more.” He also highlighted that distinctions exist between various types of omega-3.
He explained that fish-sourced omega-3s provide EPA and DHA, which have “recognised health benefits”, whereas plant-based omega-3s may not contain EPA and DHA and could therefore lack these same health benefits.