Oméga 3
Omega 3 are fatty acids essential for the functioning of the body. However, as the body does not know how to produce them, they must be supplied through food or through food supplements. Focus on these super essential fatty acids.
Presentation of omega 3
The different fatty acids
Omega 3 is part of the family of polyunsaturated fatty acids which includes:
- alpha-linolenic acid (ALA or AAL),
- eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA),
- docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
The main sources of omega 3
Omega 3 is found in food. Foods rich in omega 3 are of different types:
ALA is mainly present in plants. The best sources of ALA are vegetable oils (such as flaxseed oil, walnut oil or perilla oil) but also dried fruits (walnuts, cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts) as well as seeds. chia or flax seeds. Green vegetables, and especially leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce or cabbage, are also excellent sources of ALA.
EPA and DHA are present in fatty fish (salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel, cod liver, sardines, anchovies, etc.). These omega 3 fatty acids of animal origin are better assimilated by the body than omega 3 of plant origin.
We recommend you
Omega 3
Ultra pure fish oil concentrated in essential omega 3 fatty acids (90% triglycerides).
- ✅ Ultra pure EPAX® fish oil
- ✅ 800 mg EPA & 600 mg DHA
- ✅ Friend of the Sea®
- ✅ Minimal oxidation (Totox < 3)
What are the benefits of omega 3?
They are legion! Omega 3, essential for the proper development and functioning of the entire body, is necessary at all ages of life. Omega 3 contributes:
- normal heart function,
- to regulate blood pressure,
- to improve blood circulation,
- for proper brain development (during pregnancy and early childhood),
- maintaining normal vision,
- to reduce inflammation.
Recent studies indicate that omega 3 also helps prevent certain mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety or Alzheimer's disease.
It should be noted that the benefits on cardiovascular health are mainly attributable to omega 3s of the EPA and DHA type, which are found in particular in fish oils .
Omega 3 dosage
The recommended daily intakes are as follows:
- ALA: 2.5 g for a man and 2 g for a woman
- EPA: 250 mg
- DHA: 250 mg
Unfortunately, diet is often insufficient to cover the entire recommended intake of omega 3. It is now estimated that only a third of the French population meets the weekly omega 3 recommendations.
When they are missing from your plate, omega 3 deficiency can have repercussions throughout your body.
- Cardiovascular risks.
- Obesity: ALA blocks the multiplication of fat cells.
- Vulnerability to depression and brain decline (memory loss, difficulty concentrating).
- Eye fragility: DHA being one of the main constituents of retinal cells, its deficiency can lead to AMD (age-related macular degeneration). In addition, a good intake of EPA can participate in the treatment of dry eye and glaucoma (anti-inflammatory action).
An update on the omega 6 / omega 3 ratio
It is essential for the body to obtain omega 6 and omega 3 in the right proportions. For this omega 6 / omega 3 ratio to be balanced, you must consume a maximum of 5 times more omega 6 than omega 3.
However, it is estimated that the current trend in Western countries like France is 20 to 1. Such an imbalance can in particular promote obesity as well as cardiovascular and inflammatory disorders.
Modern diets favor the consumption of omega 6 to the detriment of the consumption of omega 3. Foods rich in omega 3 are much less represented in our diet than those concentrated in omega 6.
To restore the balance between omega 6 and omega 3, it is recommended to increase your intake of omega 3 (foods rich in omega 3, food supplements) and to limit your consumption of unbalancing foods, too rich in omega. 6 (sunflower oil for example).
How to choose the right omega 3 food supplement?
To ensure your omega 3 intake, two (complementary) options are available to you.
The first is to consume foods rich in omega 3, and therefore primarily fatty fish. But to have sufficient intake, this means eating it at least four times a week, which is not always easy.
Be careful, however, with farmed salmon, which is heavily polluted. Even wild fish such as herring or sardines are contaminated with alarming amounts of PCBs. Therefore, choose fish from organic farms.
If it seems complicated to you to obtain the recommended level through your diet alone, the second option is to opt for a course of food supplements based on fish oil. An omega 3 treatment can be aimed at everyone from 1 year old.
Discover below the criteria for choosing your supplement:
Types of fish used
Choose omega 3 from small wild fish (mackerel, sardines and anchovies) because they contain very few pollutants unlike larger fish.
The fishing area
Check that the product has a label certifying that the fish comes from a sustainable fishing area. Examples: Friend of the Sea or MSC.
The extraction method
Opt for omega 3 extracted at low temperature , a process which best preserves the structure of fish oil.
EPA and DHA content
The concentration of EPA and DHA fatty acids is an important criterion. For optimal intake, we advise you to choose a concentrated and balanced oil. The ideal dosage: 40% EPA and 30% DHA.
Ethyl esther or triglycerides?
Omega 3 exists in two forms: ethyl ester or triglycerides (natural form). Triglycerides should be preferred because some studies show that they are better assimilated by the body.
Resistance to oxidation
One index must be particularly monitored: TOTOX. This index measures the degree of oxidation of omega 3. The higher the TOTOX, the more likely the oil is to be rancid (and therefore to actually contain less omega 3 than indicated).
The threshold set by the GOED (group of omega 3 producers) is 26. For optimal quality, we nevertheless advise you to opt for an oil whose TOTOX is less than 10 .
