The 50%+ Omega 3 Fatty Acids DEFICIENCY? [Benefits & Best Foods]

This is Tom Rankin and today I'm talking about omega-3 fatty acids. We're going to talk about the best foods, the best sources, the best supplements, and what exactly they do in the body. We're starting now. There's pretty much a supplement scam out there with omega-3 fatty acids. I'll tell you what that is at the end because you have to understand what it is first. Omega-3 fatty acids are a polyunsaturated fat that our body can't produce on our own. They're essential fats, meaning we must get them from the diet. And there's three types. Two come from basically cold water fish and one comes from vegetables. ALA comes from vegetables and EPA and DHA come from animal sources. So ALA is primarily found in plant sources while EPA and DHA are found in animal sources, particularly fatty fish. Our bodies can take some of that ALA and turn it into EPA and DHA. Specifically, if you're a vegan or vegetarian, you can still get some omega-3 fatty acids, but the process is pretty inefficient. It's a very, very low percentage that gets converted. Typically, you might have to eat like 10 to 20 times as much as somebody consuming some fish or a supplement might. Omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in membrane function, brain health, reducing inflammation throughout the body, and yes, even weight loss. The research has shown that they can help with a variety of health conditions. The best foods for omega-3 fatty acids should include number one, fatty fish. So salmon, mackerel, sardines, and herring are packed with EPA and DHA. This is such a healthy food. And in fact, it's also packed with vitamin D as well. This is why people in the Arctic have great health. So the Inuits in Northern Canada, so I wrote a research paper about their health one. They essentially get their vitamin D and all their good fats without seeing the sun because of the fish. Eating those fish are really what keeps them inflammation-free and keeps them healthy, even with no other nutrients around. Fatty fish, cold water fish make a huge difference. And the study of American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of fatty fish per week for good heart and artery health. Flax seeds and flax seed oil. If you're eating seeds or nuts, check out our best seeds and nuts videos below. These are an excellent source of ALA. So this is a plant source. You can add these to your yogurt, smoothies, oatmeal for a nutritional boost. But this is a great source of ALA. Just remember the ALA is not converted to the other ones quite as efficiently. Chia seeds. So another great plant source can be ALA. Chia seeds can be added. Same thing. Yogurt, smoothies, cereals. You can put it in your recipe. That's on one of our top seeds list. Check that out below. Walnuts. Walnuts are very rich in ALA and make a great snack or addition to baked salads and baked goods. I love nuts. I have a great guide. Very popular. I think it's at like a million views or so. But my top nine nuts and the three nuts to avoid. So check that out below. But walnuts are definitely high up on the list. This beats chips because it has a lot of benefits like fiber, like omega-3s. More than just the omega-3s. So check that out. Algae and algae oil. Algae-based sources of omega-3 are perfect for vegans and vegetarians. They provide DHA and EPA without the need for fish. So that's one source you can actually cheat the system as a vegan or vegetarian. Some studies regarding these foods, like the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, show that people who ate fish daily had a 36% lower risk of dying from heart disease than those who did not. That's a great study. And there's a lot of benefits too. Heart health. So omega-3s lower triglycerides, reduce inflammation, and decrease the risk of heart attacks and heart disease. This is like almost 40% lower risk. And what happens is that helps with peripheral arterial disease. Your energy helps you to exercise. And a 2018 meta-analysis found that EPA and DHA supplementation significantly reduced the risk of heart attack and death from coronary artery disease. This is like a 50% better chance. We're talking about some great studies from these omega-3 fatty acids. Brain health. Particularly DHA, omega-3s played a crucial role in brain studies. They show that supplementation can improve cognition in older adults and reduce the symptoms of ADHD in children as well. So great for brain health. And the big one for us is inflammation and autoimmune diseases. For my peripheral neuropathy videos, for my arthritis, my inflammatory arthritis, psoriasis, gout, all these. Omega-3s can help reduce inflammation throughout the body, which can be beneficial for people with autoimmune diseases, even multiple sclerosis. So there's some great studies. And the reality is it should be part of your diet anyway. Mental health. Studies also show that omega-3s can improve the symptoms of depression and anxiety. And while it is best for you to get your omega-3s from whole foods, supplements can be effective for those who can't do it. So taking a little bit, I know this Atlantic salmon is not the cheapest thing when I go to Costco, but you want to consider quality. So check a good brand with a lot of good ratings. You want to check the purity and potency. The reality is anybody could say anything on the side, but you want reputable brands that have been checked by a third party. You want to make sure that it comes in a good form, like fish oil, krill oil, or algae oil. For example, if you're a vegan, you might want to go with the algae oil. For most people, fish oil or krill oil might be a good option. And check the EPA and DHA content. This is the big scam. This is the big secret. Sometimes I see like 2,000 milligrams, and these are the cheaper brands, and they'll say like, hey, 200 milligrams out of that 2,000 is EPA and DHA content. So the reality is you're drinking a lot of fat. You're drinking two grams of fat, and 10% or less of that is actually good omega-3 fatty acids. Today in America and Western civilization, we get about 25 times omega-6 compared to about one omega-3. That's the ratio. What happens is you want them to basically be one-to-one. So we want to really balance our omega-3s up there. But if you're eating still 10 times as much omega-6s and only one omega-10s, how's that balancing that scale? It's not. So that's what the studies really show. And you also want to look at enteric coated or triglyceride form. The coated ones, they prevent that fish burp smell because it doesn't dissolve until it gets down to your small intestine or the base of your stomach anyway. But otherwise, it stays in your throat. So if you're complaining about the fishy smell, get the coated tablets. I link my three favorite supplements down below. So check our guide. We have some links to these. It can be very helpful. I love the fish oils. The Nordic Naturals are really good options. The Viva Naturals krill oil is really good. And you can get omega-3 algae oil if you're a vegan or vegetarian. And remember, there's always issues to take in this. You have to talk with your health care provider. Which brings us to our dosage levels. Dosage can be tricky depending on age, health status, and specific health concerns. But the American Heart Association recommends that we get about 500 milligrams of EPA and DHA combined per day. Most people are not getting this. This is a huge deficiency. There's a lot of people that are deficient in this. And that's what the studies show. Pretty much over 50% of people are deficient. The European Food Safety Authority. So this is for Europe. They recommend 250 milligrams of EPA and DHA. And suggesting higher amounts for people with health concerns. If you have inflammation, if you have heart issues, even two to four grams per day might be needed. And that's what they've shown to help decrease triglyceride levels. The National Institute of Health. Don't shoot the messenger. I know I get some attacking comments when I mention the NIH or the WHO these days. They recommend for ALA. So that's the plant-based one. About 1.6 grams for men and 1.1 grams. That's much higher than the ones from animal sources. Because again, it has to convert to those other ones. So the big secret is this. Know that if you're getting it from vegetables, it's not converting. Know that most people are deficient. We are extremely inflamed, especially with our sugar intake now. Omega-3 fatty acids can make a big difference. It doesn't have to be expensive. It's gotten much, much cheaper and it's one healthy, proven, undeniable way. So make sure you're eating it every single day. You can get it from great snacks like nuts, seeds, fatty fish. Get that into your diet. That's a big improvement. And the number two big secret is this. Make sure when you're buying your supplement that it's not only like 5 or 10% EPA and DHA. That's the real big secret. The best selling ones I noticed, it's a very small percentage of the EPA and DHA. And those are the ones you have to get after. That'll make a big difference in your life. Guys, I care about you. This is helping with your hearts, your nerves, your joint inflammation. If this helped, share it with a family member. Hit a like, hit a subscribe. It makes a big difference to this channel.