- Apr. 23, 2009
- Fishing for Omega-3 Fatty Acids
When it comes to eating fish, we’re in a quandary to try to make safe and sustainable choices. Fish is a fantastic source of omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient important to keeping a healthy heart as well as a happy brain. Yet, many fish are a source of mercury and other unfortunate contaminates. Fishing also takes a toll on the environment with fishing and farm methods that leave a fishy aftertaste in our mouths. Making safe and sustainable choices isn’t easy, plain and simple.
There are lots of options out there that get further complicated with the introduction of contaminated and poorly sourced fish choices; as a result, many of us opt to skip out on fish altogether. Our seafood-deficient diets are leading to shortages in DHA, an important form of omega-3 fatty acids, which our bodies cannot make and must be obtained through our food.
How much omega-3 fatty acids do you need each day? The Dietary Recommended Intake is 1.6 grams per day for men and 1.1 grams per day for women which can come from all three types of omega-3s’: EPA, ALA, & DHA. Pregnant and breast feeding women need an additional DHA boost of .2-.3 grams per day.
Fish is one of the best sources of DHA. In fact, you can meet your needs by eating about 6-12 ounces of fish per week, that’s about 3 fillets a week. This, however, leaves us with a complicated task of identifying which types of fish are good for our bodies and the planet. The fishing industry is plagued with issues that harm our oceans. The loss of sea life to unintentional catches, habitat damage, and overfishing are just a few concerns. According to the experts at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, farmed fish is an option as long as the farms are located inland, far from coastal waters.
Thankfully, someone has done the thinking for us and created a simple pocket tool that helps you choose healthy and sustainable options at the grocery store or even when you’re eating out. Check it out here.
This is a great tool to guide you to sustainably-caught and non-contaminated fish. After referring to this guide, you'll see that there are lots of good options.
Though fish is still your best bet, keep in mind that there are other sources of DHA, too. In addition to over-the-counter supplements, organic milk and organic yogurt are now fortifying with additional DHA omega-3 fatty acids. Look for the three magic letters (DHA) on the front of the package.
So, head out to your fish market with the right tools to make the healthiest and most environmentally-conscious choice. And while you’re at it, go ahead and enjoy that tuna sandwich.
There are lots of options out there that get further complicated with the introduction of contaminated and poorly sourced fish choices; as a result, many of us opt to skip out on fish altogether. Our seafood-deficient diets are leading to shortages in DHA, an important form of omega-3 fatty acids, which our bodies cannot make and must be obtained through our food.
How much omega-3 fatty acids do you need each day? The Dietary Recommended Intake is 1.6 grams per day for men and 1.1 grams per day for women which can come from all three types of omega-3s’: EPA, ALA, & DHA. Pregnant and breast feeding women need an additional DHA boost of .2-.3 grams per day.
Fish is one of the best sources of DHA. In fact, you can meet your needs by eating about 6-12 ounces of fish per week, that’s about 3 fillets a week. This, however, leaves us with a complicated task of identifying which types of fish are good for our bodies and the planet. The fishing industry is plagued with issues that harm our oceans. The loss of sea life to unintentional catches, habitat damage, and overfishing are just a few concerns. According to the experts at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, farmed fish is an option as long as the farms are located inland, far from coastal waters.
Thankfully, someone has done the thinking for us and created a simple pocket tool that helps you choose healthy and sustainable options at the grocery store or even when you’re eating out. Check it out here.
This is a great tool to guide you to sustainably-caught and non-contaminated fish. After referring to this guide, you'll see that there are lots of good options.
Though fish is still your best bet, keep in mind that there are other sources of DHA, too. In addition to over-the-counter supplements, organic milk and organic yogurt are now fortifying with additional DHA omega-3 fatty acids. Look for the three magic letters (DHA) on the front of the package.
So, head out to your fish market with the right tools to make the healthiest and most environmentally-conscious choice. And while you’re at it, go ahead and enjoy that tuna sandwich.
- Posted by:
- Tara, the RD
- Category:
- Food Matters
- Add A Comment
By banking deals jeol on 05/08/2009
I have very high cholesterol. I usually take one no more than two of the kind I use, but then again I also try to eat tuna, or salmon, herring or sardines everyday as part of my diet. My favorite product is Natrol (tm) Omega-3 Complex. It not only has certified distilled purified fish oil, but it also contains flax seed and borage Oil. Just remember that too much of one thing is not good for you.
By Barry Holman on 05/10/2009
Dear Tara,
I love Clif products and as a vegan ultra endurance athlete have used them in training, racing and just getting through the work day. One of the reasons I support Clif and feel supported by your company is that I know that most Clif products don’t contain the vegan traps in other bars, strive to have the highest organic content and taste good. So, I was a little surprised to find a post supporting fish (I’m not anti-fish. I like fish but just choose not to eat them anymore).
What about plant sources of Omega 3s such as flax meal or oil, nuts or seeds? Presenting that fish is the only source of Omega 3s and providing a resource that only suggests other fish to replace fish high in toxins (yet many of the alternatives also are marked as dangerous) doesn’t give all the options. And promoting fortified foods injected with DHA seems to run counter to Clif’s promotion of fueling with foods as close to their natural composition as possible.
I’m not a nutritionist. Just an experiment of one that for over a decade has posted solid athletic performances on a vegan diet and often with a Clif bar in my jersey pocket. I havepaid pretty close attention to my own nutritional needs and try to read as much of the unscientific literature as I can. I’m interested in a professional’s perspective on fish vs. flax.
Thanks,
Barry
By tara on 05/14/2009
Because many people are confused about whether they should eat fish or not I wanted to be sure our readers (and eaters) where aware that not all fish are over-fished and contaminated and that there are good choices out there. So I intentionally focused my omega-3 fatty acid attention to the DHA & EPA found in fish and all-natural, third-party-tested-to-be-free-of-toxins fish oil supplements simply.
Fish is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids known as DHA & EPA but you don’t find DHA & EPA in CLIF or LUNA products because we know many of you count on them to be animal free. Ground flaxseed and walntuts are excellent alternatives and provide the omega-s3 fatty acid known as ALA. The thing about ALA is that it then needs to be converted by your body to the body-usable form DHA and EPA and you will need to eat more of it to contribute to your daily requirements. CLIF BAR Oatmeal Raisin Walntut and Banana Nut Bread are good sources of ALA. LUNA Sunrise is also a good source of ALA.
By Michelle Taylor on 05/27/2009
I agree with Barry! I love Clif in large part because it is a vegan and environmentally friendly company! There are other sources of Omega-3’s such as flaxseeds and other environmentally friendly, cholesterol-free whole foods. I hope Clif makes an effort to inform consumers that there are many ways to get all nutrients and stay healthy without eating fish and other beings!
By Ian on 05/28/2009
...And don’t forget Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica). Yes, those seeds used for the wacky Chia Pets are higher in Omega 3 than either salmon or flax seeds, and easier to digest than flax. I’d like to back up the previous comments of my fellow vegans that the avoidance of animal sources is probably a key to your success and why we love your products! Keep up the great work!
By Tara, the RD on 06/01/2009
Not to worry my vegan friends! We are not going to add fish to our Clif Bar’s and you can still count on Clif Bars and Sunrise Luna Bars for you ALA form of omega-3’s that are converted that golden DHA & EPA our brains and hearts all need.
A really cool non-animal source of DHA I did forget to mention is algae. Now, I am not suggesting you scrape off the insides of your fish tanks and put it on salad. You can find this algae as an ingredient in foods and supplements.
And for all you non-vegans out there you can “eat your fish and have it too” by choosing the fish that are both free of toxins and raised and caught through environmentally sustainable methods.
Tara