Guide to Omega Oils

Good morning,

Today I want to talk about the Omega oils and what they are, where to get them and what they do for us.

Okay so here we go again with some more health and fitness buzz words "Omega Oils"! Great, so what are they? How the heck do I get them? What do they do for me?

So lets tackle each of these questions one at a time:

1. What are omega oils or omega fatty acids?

There are 2 main types omegas 3 and 6. I could give you a tonne of technical info on these two essential fatty acids but the bottom line is they are awesome for your diet. Really, who cares about the technical jargon! Here's the skinny (literally because they are also awesome at helping you lose fat).

Lets start with the 3's.

What are they?

• Omega 3's are essential fatty acids (EFA's).
• Cannot be made by the body and need to be brought in through food.

What do they do for me?

• Essential for brain and growth development. Including cognitive and behavioral function.
• Reduce inflammation.
• Reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and arthritis.
• Proper fetal development.

Where do I get it?

• Fish: salmon, tuna, mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines.
• Plants: Flax, hemp, nuts, algae.

Now the with the 6's.
 
What are they?

• Omega 6's are essential fatty acids (EFA's).
• Cannot be made by the body and need to be brought in through food.

What do they do for me?

• Essential for brain and growth development. Including cognitive and behavioral function.
  
• Stimulate skin and hair growth, maintain bone health, regulate metabolism, and maintain reproductive system.

Where do I get it?

• Vegetable oils.
• Some meats like turkey and pork.
• Evening primrose oil, black current oil, Spirulina

It is important to have a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 (another essential fatty acid) in the diet. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, and most omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation. The typical North American diet tends to contain 14 - 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. 


One last note you can get all of your omega's from whole foods but if you struggle to get what you need you can supplement with capsules and oils.
Also while we were in Toronto at the Food Network festival I ran into this company's product which I now use daily and think it is awesome!

Check them out: Omega Crunch

Cheers,

Bounce Life.