You will have probably heard of omega-3 fatty acids and thought that unless you eat lots of fish, you won’t be able to enjoy the benefits. However, you don’t need to eat a lot of white or oily fish every day to get your recommended daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

Thanks to omega-3 OmegaMax™ Total Food Pills , you can get these essential fats which can have a number of positive effects on your body and brain.

Read our complete beginner’s guide to omega-3 fatty acids to find out how it works, who it is best for, how it improves your memory and more.

What is Omega-3?

Omega-3 is short for omega-3 fatty acid. This is a family of essential fatty acids that play important roles in the human body. We can not produce them on our own, so we must get them from the diet. Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated, meaning that they have several double bonds in the chemical structure. The three most important types are ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). ALA is mainly found in plants, while DHA and EPA are mainly found in animal foods and algae. Omega-3 fatty acids are needed for optimal function of the human body, and they may also provide numerous powerful health benefits. Common foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids include fatty fish, fish oils, flax seeds, chia seeds, flaxseed oil and walnuts, to name a few.

For people who do not eat much of these foods, an omega-3 food pill (like OmegaMax™ Total Food Pills ) is often recommended

What Does "Omega-3" Mean?

The "omega" naming convention has to do with the placement of the double bonds on the fatty acid chain. Each fatty acid has a long chain of carbon atoms, with one carboxylic acid end (called alpha) and one methyl end (called omega).

The Three Types: ALA, EPA and DHA

There are three main types of omega-3 fatty acids: ALA, DHA and EPA.

ALA (alpha-linolenic acid)

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is the most common omega-3 fatty acid in the diet. It is 18 carbons long. It is not active in the human body, and needs to be converted into the active forms, EPA and DHA. However, this conversion process is inefficient. Only a small percentage of ALA is converted into the active forms. ALA is found in flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, canola oil, chia seeds, walnuts, hemp seeds and soybeans, to name a few.

EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)

Eicosapentaenoic acid is an omega-3 fatty acid that is 20 carbons long. It is mostly found in animal products, such as fatty fish and fish oil. However, some microalgae also contain EPA. It has several functions in the human body. Part of it can be converted into DHA.

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the most important omega-3 fatty acid in the human body. It is 22 carbons long. It is a key structural component of the brain, the retina of the eyes and numerous important parts of the body. Meat, eggs and dairy products from grass-fed animals also tend to contain significant amounts.

Vegetarians and vegans are often lacking in DHA, and should take food pills, which contain DHA.

The Omega-6:Omega-3 Ratio

Omega-6 fatty acids have important roles in the human body. Their function is often similar to the function of omega-3 fatty acids. Both are used to produce signalling molecules called eicosanoids, which have various roles related to inflammation, blood clotting and others. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, but eating too much omega-6 counteracts these beneficial effects. For this reason, we need to consume these fatty acids in a certain balance for optimal health. This balance between omega-6 and omega-3 is often termed the omega-6:omega-3 ratio.

What Omega-3 Fatty Acids Do

Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, play structural roles in the brain and retina of the eyes. It is particularly important for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers to get enough DHA. It can affect the future health and intelligence of the baby.

Additionally, getting enough omega-3 fatty acids can have powerful health benefits for adults as well. This is especially true of the longer-chain forms, EPA and DHA. Although evidence is mixed, studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids can have protective effects against all sorts of diseases. This includes breast cancer, depression, ADHD, as well as various inflammatory diseases.

If you’re showing signs of omega-3 deficiency

At the end of the day, omega-3 fatty acids are important, and the modern diet is severely lacking in them. There is a long list of signs that you may not be getting enough omega-3. These can range from anxiety and lack of concentration to dry skin, fraying nails, and excessive thirst.

You can take food pills to boost and support your diet or if you have a special health reason for needing extra amounts. The best time to take omega-3 supplements is with or following a meal which is high in healthy fats such as avocados or nuts. This will help your body absorb the oil better.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0753332206002435,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2621042,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21961774,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20439549,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24505395,https://pmj.bmj.com/content/85/1000/84,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25339684,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4537707,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24859185,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16188209,https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional/,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20478353,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12936959,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3675900/