Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids. The body cannot make its own omega-3 fats, so they must be taken in through the diet (or in supplement form). The fats are naturally found in oily cold water fish like tuna, salmon, and sardines.
The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon) at least 2 times a week.
Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development.
University Of Maryland Medical Center suggest that omega-3 fatty acids may be helpful in treating a variety of health conditions including.
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Weight loss
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Eating disorders
- Burns
- Skin disorders
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Asthma
- Macular Degeneration
- Menstrual pain
- Colon cancer
- Breast cancer
- Prostate cancer
great post on colon cancer