What is the best way for vegetarians to get Omega-3 fatty acids?

Vegetarianism is a widely practiced dietary choice that may be adapted for cultural or religious reasons or personal preference. Exclusion of oily fish, dairy foods and meat in the vegetarian diet is associated with lower ω-3 fatty acid status compared with omnivores. Further, modern agriculture diets contain very low levels of Omega-3 and excessive levels of Omega-6 fatty acids leading to an unhealthy Omega-6/Omega-3 ratio. Thus, vegetarians and vegans are prone to develop omega 3 deficiency. But, there is a wide range of vegetarian sources of Omega 3, which can be helpful to overcome Omega 3 insufficiencies in vegetarians or vegans. Before we dive into answering the above question, let me talk first about the Omega 3 acid and science-based health benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids.

What is PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acid)?

PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acid) is a fatty acid which contains more than one double bond in their structure. There are two main groups of biologically important long-chain PUFAs:

1. Omega-3 PUFA: Omega-3 fatty acids are represented by alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is metabolized to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
2. Omega-6 PUFA: Omega-6 fatty acids are represented by linoleic acid (LA).

Science-based health benefits of Omega 3

Omega-3 for Healthy Heart

Dietary Omega-3 plays an important role in cardiovascular health and disease. Research provides substantial evidence to support Omega-3 in cardiovascular disease management. The cardioprotective benefits of Omega-3 are due to its multiple physiological effects on lipids, vascular function, platelet function, and inflammatory responses. Further Omega-3 fatty acids have been found to play a role in the prevention of coronary artery disease.

Omega-3 in maintaining brain function

The Omega-3 plays a role in brain health, high blood plasma levels of Omega-3 fatty acids are associated with a reduced risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and mental disorders such as schizophrenia and depression. There is increasing evidence that increased intake of Omega-3 may confer benefits in a variety of psychiatric and neurological disorders.

Omega-3 for Healthy Joints

Omega-3 has been used to treat joint pain associated with several inflammatory conditions. It controls joint pain by controlling the production of inflammatory cytokines. It has been observed in different clinical studies that daily supplementation of Omega 3 helped to decrease joint tenderness, tender joint counts and duration of morning joint stiffness in people with arthritis. Omega 3 supplementation could also prevent bone and cartilage destruction during inflammatory arthritis.

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Thus, an optimal level of Omega 3 is required for optimum functioning of Heart, Brain, and Joints. Now, coming straight to your question, below are the best and cheapest sources of Omega-3 for people on a vegetarian or vegan diet.

1. Seaweed and algae: Seaweed, spirulina, and chlorella are important sources of Omega-3 for people on a vegetarian or vegan diet, as they are one of the few plant groups that contain DHA and EPA.
2. Walnuts: Walnuts contain 3.34 g of ALA per cup. These nuts are a great source of healthful fats, including ALA Omega-3 fatty acids.
3. Kidney beans: Kidney beans contain 0.10 g of ALA per half-cup. Kidney beans are one of the most common beans to include in meals.
4. Soybean oil: Soybean oil contains 0.923 g of ALA per tablespoon.
5. Hemp seeds: Hemp seeds contain 2.605 g of ALA in every 3 tablespoons.
6. Other vegetarian sources: Wheatgerm, wheat germ oil, and Green leafy vegetables

Flaxseed is the best sources of Omega 3 for people on Vegetarian and vegan diets

Flaxseed is one of the richest plant sources of the ω-3 fatty acid (ALA, C18:3 ω-3) and can be identified as an alternative plant source of ω-3 fatty acids. Of all lipids in flaxseed oil, α- linolenic acid is the major fatty acid followed by oleic, linoleic, palmitic and stearic acids, which provides an excellent ω-6:ω-3 fatty acid ratio.

Besides consuming omega 3 rich diet, below are some tips to improve Omega 3 levels in the blood:

• Limit the intake of processed foods and deep-fried foods rich Omega-6 fatty acids
• For cooking, use an oil high in monounsaturated fat such as olive oil in place of polyunsaturated Omega-6 rich oils such as sunflower, safflower, and grapeseed.
• Incorporate foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids into your diet each day including flaxseed oil, flaxseeds, chia, hemp seeds, green leafy vegetables, walnuts, and organic soy products,

As discussed above, vegetarians and vegans may get Omega 3 from different sources. But it is not always possible for a person to consume foods containing the high amount of Omega 3 fatty acids. Thus, In such a case, Omega 3 supplement specifically formulated for vegetarians and Vegans would be helpful.

In the market, a number of Omega 3 supplements are available for Vegans. Here I am bringing a few of the top brands in your notice like Nature’s NutraVege Omega-3, Testa Omega-3 and Ovega-3 which delivers 500 mg, 450 mg and 500 mg of Omega 3 per capsule respectively. Personally, I would like to recommend TrueBasics Vegan Omega which contains clinically researched Flaxseed oil (one of the best vegetarian sources of Omega 3 fatty acid). TrueBasics Omega 3 delivers 550 mg of Omega 3, which is more than the above-mentioned brands. In addition, it provides an excellent ω-6:ω-3 fatty acid ratio which is essential for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and other inflammatory disorders. Thus, TrueBasics Vegan Omega 3 may be the best alternative source of Omega 3 supplement for people on vegetarian and vegan diets.