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You probably don’t get enough omega-3 fatty acids. While this might not be the case, unfortunately,this statement will be true for the vast majority of the people reading this, unless you happen to live in an area where fish is very plentiful and common. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are crucial to the body. Your body can’t produce either omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids, and yet it needs them. This intake has to come from either food or supplements.

Omega-3, Omega-6, Which is More Important?

Neither is more important than the other, but omega-6 is much more plentiful in the average diet than omega-3’s. Omega-6 fatty acids are in dairy, eggs, pork, beef, chicken, and vegetable oil. Most people eat these items in abundance, so there is normally not much of a problem with getting good levels of this fatty acid. On the other hand, omega-3 fatty acids exist more in walnuts, olive oil, garlic, and fish. As we mentioned before, unless you are in an area that offers abundant opportunities to dine on fish or you are a serious walnut fan, you most likely don’t get enough omega-3 fatty acids.

What Do Omega-3 Fatty Acids Do?

They help regulate the body’s ability to retain and store fat, including keeping energy levels normalized. This means they help your body maintain the energy it needs and keeps you from storing as much fat as you do when your levels of omega-3 aren’t sufficient. This is one of the compounds that keeps your body from going into survival mode and trying to store as much energy as it can. They also help lower blood pressure and reduce triglycerides, which, simply put, are blobs of fat in your blood. While they do take energy to different areas which need it, if there are too many of them, they are stored as fat just in case they are needed later. A lowered level of triglycerides is also linked to a lowered chance of heart disease. This is a very good thing.

How Can I Get Enough Omega-3 Fatty Acids?

Eat more fish, garlic, olive oil, and walnuts. This is the quick answer. This also has great health benefits, as garlic is great for the body, olive oil helps out in other ways, and fish is a lean meat that will help you reduce your calorie and fat intake. If you are used to a certain diet though, this may not be the easiest change you can make. Another way is to add a supplement to your diet. Omega-3 fatty acid supplements are easy to take, just a couple of soft-gels with a meal and you get a full daily dose. Technology has gotten better in the last few decades, so there are now supplemental omega-3’s available with nearly sixty percent of their contents as omega-3’s, as compared to normal supplements which are only thirty percent. You should be getting one thousand four hundred milligrams or more a day of omega-3’s.

I Have Taken Them Before, and the Burping, Plus Heavy Metals?

This has gone the way of the Dodo in the higher quality supplements. A great supplement will usually have a natural flavoring, such as lemon, which will completely mask any fishy burps.

Also, since there has been a rise in sustainably produced and wild catch fish, the high-quality supplements will use fish from that industry to ensure that there are no harmful heavy metals or contaminants in the fish oil. Make sure that the supplement you decide to take is tested by a third party for purity before starting it, as you could easily be trading one problem for another!

Losing Weight

You should see the effects quickly, especially if you were deficient in omega-3 fatty acids before. Once your body has enough of what it needs, the systems that rely on this substance will begin to function normally. As you lose weight and get in better shape, the machine that is your body will run even better, ensuring even more results from taking a high-quality supplement. Good luck and get what you need to get healthy!