Healthy Omega Fatty Acids for Weight Loss

Omega fatty acids are unsaturated fats that are important to maintaining good health. There are three major types of omega fatty acids that the body uses.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are not made naturally by the human body, yet they are essential to keeping your body functioning properly. Omega-3s help reduce inflammation in the body and reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and possibly Alzheimer’s disease. The FDA recommends eating 3 grams’ worth of omega-3s each day.

• Omega-3 fatty acids are found in: flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, canola oil, hemp, walnuts and walnut oil, salmon, tuna, halibut, mackerel, and herring.

Omega-6 Fatty Acids

While small amounts of omega-6 fatty acids are thought to be essential for good health, most Americans consume far more omega-6s than necessary. Ideally, your diet should consist of a 4-to-1 ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s. Unfortunately, most people consume about twenty times more omega-6s than omega-3s. For a properly balanced diet, focus on swapping some of your omega-6 sources with omega-3 sources.

• Omega-6 fatty acids are found in: sunflower, safflower, corn, cottonseed, and soybean oils; egg yolks; meats; and poultry.

Omega-9 Fatty Acids

Your body needs small amounts of omega-9 fatty acids, but it’s capable of making omega-9s on its own. In other words, most nutritionists won’t recommend specifically adding omega-9 to your diet.

• Omega-9 fatty acids are found in: olive oil, avocados, almonds, peanuts, sesame oil, pecans, pistachio nuts, cashews, and hazelnuts.

While all of the “omegas” play a role in achieving good health, most people should focus on finding ways to incorporate more omega-3 fatty acids into their daily diet.