When thinking about omega 3 fatty acids, the first thing that comes to mind is eating salmon.
But what if you don’t eat seafood?
A new research review found that α-linolenic acid (ALA), a major plant-based version of the nutrient, can benefit heart health and reduce the risk of heart disease in people who do not eat seafood. ..
Comprehensive literature review, recently Advances in nutrition, Researchers have discovered that plant-based foods (such as walnuts and flax seeds) consume ALA. The risk of cardiovascular disease has been reduced by 10% and the risk of fatal coronary heart disease has been reduced by 20%.
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For review, researchers analyzed data from previous studies to identify the effects of ALA on heart disease and risk factors such as blood pressure and inflammation.
Previous studies have associated omega 3 with a lower risk of heart disease, but this conclusion was based primarily on evidence from marine-derived omega 3. There was little evidence of the benefits of ALA.
Researchers have found that ALA has a beneficial effect on reducing total cholesterol and blood pressure and inflammation. According to Emilio Ros, an honorary researcher at Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer, a research institute linked to the Barcelona Clinic Hospital and the University of Barcelona, this could help explain the benefits of ALA for heart health.
“We were able to find evidence to support current dietary guidelines that ALA provides about 0.6% to 1% of total energy per day. This is about 1.1 grams per day for women and about 1.1 grams per day for men. If it’s 1.6 grams a day, “Ros said. It can be incorporated into the diet with foods such as walnuts, flaxseed, cooking oils such as canola and soybean oil. “
These recommendations correspond to about 1/2 ounce of walnuts, or just below a teaspoon of flaxseed oil.
Penny Chris Etherton, a professor of nutrition at Penn State University’s Evan Pew University, said the review suggests that there are multiple ways to meet the recommendations for omega-3 fatty acids.
“People may not want to eat seafood for a variety of reasons, but it’s still important to consume omega-3s to reduce the risk of heart disease and promote overall health,” Chris-Ether. Ton said. “Plant-based ALA in the form of walnuts and flax can also provide these benefits, especially when incorporated into a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.”
For more information on plant-based omega 3, see one major effect of eating walnuts.
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