Janice Newell Bissex, MS, RD and Liz Weiss, MS, RD, Co-authors, The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers
The Meal Makeover Moms have created a series of online videos featuring cooking demonstrations and mealtime/pantry tips. Discover easy ways to improve your family's diet by watching more of their how-to videos.
Omega-3 fat – found in seafood, canola oil, walnuts, flaxseed, and soy -- is a type of health-promoting polyunsaturated fat that your body can’t produce -- so you’ve got to get it from the foods you eat. Most Americans consume too little omega-3 each day. Omega-3 fats are important for a number of reasons. For starters, they protect against heart attacks and stroke by helping to lower bad LDL cholesterol, regulate heart rhythm, inhibit blood clotting, and lower blood pressure. They are also important for brain and eye development in the fetus and young children.
The seafood / marine source of omega-3s are called DHA and EPA. The non-seafood or plant-based omega-3 is called ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). ALA has to be converted to the more potent DHA and EPA in our bodies, but it’s still important to eat a variety of omega-3 foods daily.
The National Academy of Sciences recommends a daily intake of 1.1g of omega-3 fats for women and 1.6g for men. Check out the charts below to see how you can increase your intake.
Omega-3 Content of Fish
(grams of DHA & EPA per serving)
Salmon, 4 ounces
1.5g
Mackerel, 4 ounces
1.5g
Tuna, canned, white, 4 ounces
1.1g
Sardines, one 3.75 oz. can
0.9g
Sole, 4 ounces
0.6g
Shrimp, 4 ounces
0.4g
Catfish, 4 ounces
0.3g
Cod, 4 ounces
0.2g
ALA Content of Foods
(grams of alpha-linolenic acid per serving)
