4 reasons you need more omega-3 fats and easy ways to get them

Here’s a primer on omega-3 fatty acids, the heart-healthy fats in fish, walnuts, and a few other foods. Protect your heart, brain, and more!


My favorite way to get heart-healthy omega-3 fats is to eat fish. It’s easy: I love fish for its taste, versatility, and nutrient profile.

But my favorite way is not the only way. Whether you eat fish 2 – 3 times a week (like me), only now and then, or never ever, you need these unique omega-3 fatty acids from the sea. Here’s a primer about these heart-healthy fats to help you decide if you get enough. Plus keep reading for tips to get more, if you need to.

Wasabi salmon with lime as part of a brain healthy diet

This easy wasabi salmon is just the right amount of spice and fits perfectly on a brain-healthy diet.

What are omega-3 fats?

There are two main types of these heart-healthy fats, which are polyunsaturated fatty acids. I recommend seeking out both. Your body can’t make omega-3 fatty acids, so you’ll need to get them from food or supplements.

  • ALA is primarily in walnuts, seeds, and seed oils.
  • EPA and DHA are in seafood. Your body converts only a tiny bit of ALA into EPA and DHA, so eating fish and taking supplements are the only practical ways to boost EPA and DHA levels in your body.

These heart-healthy fats have lots of jobs

About your heart

The American Heart Association (AHA) tells us to eat fatty fish at least twice weekly to ensure an average daily intake of about 250 mg of EPA and DHA. No other food naturally provides a hefty dose of these health-boosting fatty acids. According to the AHA, they decrease your risk of having dangerous, abnormal heartbeats; lower your blood triglyceride levels; and slow the formation of plaque in your blood vessels.

One important point: It’s impossible to know if the health benefits are from EPA and DHA, the combination of various nutrients in seafood, or the avoidance of greasy burgers, fried chicken nuggets, and nachos when you put seafood on your plate.

My guess: All of the above.

About your brain

DHA is a critical component of your brain, and some research finds that diets rich in EPA and DHA are associated with better cognitive function in aging.

And because DHA, in particular, is critical for the development of a baby’s eyes and brain, experts recommend that pregnant and breastfeeding women consume low-mercury fatty fish twice weekly.

About your eyes

Some studies show that diets with ample seafood protect against age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss during aging.

About your aches

Studies on this are mixed, with some showing that EPA and DHA supplements (in the form of fish oil) reduce the need for pain medications among people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Is ALA also a heart-healthy fat?

Yes. EPA and DHA (from seafood) grab a bigger spotlight than ALA (from plants), but ALA is also a heart-healthy fat. You’ll find it in plenty of wholesome foods such as walnuts; tofu; edamame beans; chia seeds; flaxseed; and canola, soybean, walnut, and flaxseed oils.

Pro tip: To absorb ALA from flaxseed, you must eat the seeds ground. Chewing is not enough to release these important heart-healthy fats from the seeds.

Are you getting enough omega-3 fatty acids?

Most people get the recommended amount of ALA, but few people consume adequate EPA and DHA. National and international health organizations recommend we take in an average of 250 to 500 mg of EPA + DHA daily. Yet adults in the US consume a mere 90 mg per day. Yikes! Your brain and your heart need more than that!

3 ways to more EPA and DHA

#1: Fatty fish: Food first is nearly always a good idea and one of my mantras. Some good choices are salmon, trout, barramundi, tuna, sardines, and herring. (The FDA advises pregnant and breastfeeding women, women who may become pregnant, and children to eat light tuna more often than white albacore tuna because light tuna contains less mercury. These groups should also avoid high-mercury fish.)

Fish with omega-3 fatty acids on a glass plate

You’ll love this Asian-inspired barramundi with chopped peanuts. My family does.

Here are four easy ways to get more fish.

#2: Fortified foods: You’ll find a variety of foods with added omega-3 fatty acids. If you’re not a regular fish eater, hunt out those foods fortified, specifically with EPA or DHA. Fortified milk, yogurt, and orange juice are just a few items on supermarket shelves.

#3: Supplements: If food doesn’t take you to your goal, supplements can be a good choice. But it’s always smart to check in with your healthcare provider before starting any type of supplement.

When choosing a fish oil supplement in a sea of options, look for the total amount of EPA + DHA, not the total amount of fish oil, which will be higher because fish oil is more than just EPA and DHA. Be sure to look at the serving size too. For example, a bottle may show that a serving or dose contains 2000 mg of fish oil, but with careful review, you notice that it has only 500 mg EPA + DHA for 2 softgels or 250 mg per softgel.

If you’re vegan, you can still get supplements. There are algal options. Algae is where the fish get their omega-3 fats too.

heart healthy fats label

This label indicates that 2 softgels provide 2000 mg of fish oil. The key thing to notice is that 2 softgels provide 500 mg of EPA + DHA (250 mg of EPA + DHA per softgel)

For you nutrition history buffs:

Research looking at fish, omega-3 fatty acids and heart health began in the 1970s. Omega-3 fatty acids grabbed the interest of scientists when they studied the diets and health of the Inuit of Greenland, who suffered heart attack and diabetes at one-tenth the rate of people from Denmark. The Inuit’s high intake of seafood fed them a lot of EPA and DHA – about 10.5 grams daily. The notion that these fatty acids protected the heart was further bolstered with observations that countries with high fish intakes had lower rates of heart disease. Plus Italian researchers ran a very large study (called GISSI) involving people who had recently suffered a heart attack. More than 11,000 people were randomized to receive either 840 mg EPA + DHA daily or a placebo. Among other positive findings, the researchers reported that supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids in this high risk population, reduced the risk of sudden death by 45%.

There have been lots of studies since. Some with very positive findings, but other recent studies have been less enthusiastic. My own take on why recent studies of omega-3 fatty acids are less promising is that we’re getting better healthcare these days. More people are meeting goals for blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol than those enrolled in the GISSI study and other studies all those years ago. Plus, these days, plenty of people take life-saving statin drugs, which  lower cholesterol levels and prevent heart attacks.

LOVE Your Heart

Download this free 6-page list of heart-healthy food & ingredient swaps

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Jill Weisenberger

I'm Jill, and I believe simple changes in your mindset and health habits can bring life-changing rewards. And I don't believe in willpower. It's waaaay overrated. As a food-loving registered dietitian nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist and certified health and wellness coach, I've helped thousands of people solve their food and nutrition problems. If you're looking for a better way to master this whole healthy eating/healthy living thing or if you're trying to prevent or manage diabetes or heart problems, you'll find plenty of resources right here.

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2 Comments

  1. Brenda on October 3, 2017 at 5:35 pm

    Wow! I finally get it. Those supplement labels are confusing. I thought I was getting more than I really am. Thanks for clearing that up!

    • Jill Weisenberger on January 2, 2018 at 8:57 am

      So glad you found this post helpful!

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Hi there! I'm Jill, a nutrition & diabetes expert and the author of 4 books.

Jill Weisenberger

I believe simple changes in health habits can bring you life-changing rewards.

And I believe willpower is way overrated.

Right here is where you can discover the mindset and habits to stick with healthy lifestyle choices most of the time - and drop the guilt when you don't.

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