Omega 3 Study

[Bananna]

Just some reinforcement....eat your greens ofcourse, not their recommended fish! WHY do they always suggest Fish!?:(


http://healthandfitness.sympatico.msn.ca/Fishing+for+happiness/Home/ContentPosting?isfa=1&newsitemid=17413&feedname=FIFTYPLUS&show=False&number=0&showbyline=True&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc&date=False

[Veganforlife]

Thanks! "They" recommend fish because the industry, meat, dairy, etc. has brainwashed so many people into believing that one can ONLY get this type of nutrition from dead animals. Silly, isn't it? Thanks, but no thanks. I'll take my living greens!!!

The dairy and meat industry is a big, big money-making business. And most folks are so gullible, they'll throw anything down their throats! YIKES!

[Bananna]

Well they do mention vegetarian sources at the end....sort of an after thought though...

More importantly I am just glad and reassured by the findings...

[annavon]

Flax seeds are a great source.

[jenjen]

actually guys, if you really study this you will find that you can not get the type of omega 3 that has epa and dha from plant sources. epa and dha are critical for brain development and mood enhancment found only in animal omega 3 - not plant omega 3. you can get the dha from a specific kind of alagae but not the epa which is very important.

even david wolfe and shazzie are taking supplements to get the very important type of omega 3. as you cann't get the CORRECT TYPE of omega 3 from greens, flax, ect.

grain fed cows have zero, grass fed cows are the highest source (note that north america only in the last 40 years have had their #1 omega 3/epa/dha source elimenated sinces cows put on grain!) - and NO we don't get it from the grass

fish are the next higest source/ krill is the best source (david wolfe takes krill)

flax, greens, ect have omega 3 but NOT the dha and epa structure in them.

i take krill oil.

there are alot of studies on this by vegan/vegatarian society's. not everything is a coverup!
don't get caught up in dogma especially if you are raising children or pregnant.

[Coconutcutie]

I just bought some purslane at the farmer's market and was pleasantly surprised when I read up on it and found out that it actually is one of the rare plants that contains EPA....

[Veganforlife]

I have harvested so much purslane this summer and have frozen it for this winter for use in my green smoothies. I love it. I eat and bag it up, eat and bag it up. Gr8 stuff!!!

[Ilse W.]

When you take omega 3s in fish oil supplement or vegetarian (flax) form, make sure to take some vitamin E along with it, to protect the fats from oxidation (free radical formation) inside your system. Whenever I put ground flax seeds into anything, I also add the same amount of ground sunflower seeds for the E (and an equal amount of ground pumpkin seeds for the zinc and B vitamins). Usually, that means 1 T each ground up together in a coffee grinder. I put that in smoothies.
Cheers,
Emma

[Coconutcutie]

I have harvested so much purslane this summer and have frozen it for this winter for use in my green smoothies. I love it. I eat and bag it up, eat and bag it up. Gr8 stuff!!!

I think I have some growing in my yard as well since these "weeds" bear a striking resemblance to the purslane that I purchased at the farmer's market...I would love to harvest it but I'm not sure if the yard has ever been sprayed for weeds (we are not the original owners of the house)....bummer. Maybe I can get some seeds and grow it in a pot??

[Bananna]

ack!
....what is krill? and what is purslane?

Ok, so this is what I found on the subject so far....

"Sources of omega-3
Fish oils are the best source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Soya, hemp, flax and pumpkin seeds and oils, walnuts and leafy green vegetables - all healthy foods with other benefits too - contain omega-3 fatty acids - but they are the shorter-chain ones.

Our bodies can convert these into the long-chain EDA and DHA fatty acids that do most good, but not very efficiently, according to independent nutritionists."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/food_matters/omega.shtml


What I was always told is that if our diets weren't so high in Omega 6 fats, we would need a lot Less Omega 3, as it's really the ratio that is important. The article mentions that too, but isn't the focus.

What I wonder now though is, if our bodies can convert short to long chain, albeit inefficiently, then that's great. Also I haven't found any information on why this is. But just knowing that my omega 6 intake is low and I can in fact convert one shorter type of omega 3 into a longer type is good enough. I mean, if a grass eating cow can produce it, then it's plausible that I can too.

Just some thoughts, not really arguing about supplements for it or not, I am definately not an expert at this point.

Going to go do some more 'vestigating though...



actually guys, if you really study this you will find that you can not get the type of omega 3 that has epa and dha from plant sources. epa and dha are critical for brain development and mood enhancment found only in animal omega 3 - not plant omega 3. you can get the dha from a specific kind of alagae but not the epa which is very important.

even david wolfe and shazzie are taking supplements to get the very important type of omega 3. as you cann't get the CORRECT TYPE of omega 3 from greens, flax, ect.

grain fed cows have zero, grass fed cows are the highest source (note that north america only in the last 40 years have had their #1 omega 3/epa/dha source elimenated sinces cows put on grain!) - and NO we don't get it from the grass

fish are the next higest source/ krill is the best source (david wolfe takes krill)

flax, greens, ect have omega 3 but NOT the dha and epa structure in them.

i take krill oil.

there are alot of studies on this by vegan/vegatarian society's. not everything is a coverup!
don't get caught up in dogma especially if you are raising children or pregnant.

[Non]

ack!
....what is krill? and what is purslane?

Ok, so this is what I found on the subject so far....

"Sources of omega-3
Fish oils are the best source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Soya, hemp, flax and pumpkin seeds and oils, walnuts and leafy green vegetables - all healthy foods with other benefits too - contain omega-3 fatty acids - but they are the shorter-chain ones.

Our bodies can convert these into the long-chain EDA and DHA fatty acids that do most good, but not very efficiently, according to independent nutritionists."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/food_matters/omega.shtml


What I was always told is that if our diets weren't so high in Omega 6 fats, we would need a lot Less Omega 3, as it's really the ratio that is important. The article mentions that too, but isn't the focus.

What I wonder now though is, if our bodies can convert short to long chain, albeit inefficiently, then that's great. Also I haven't found any information on why this is. But just knowing that my omega 6 intake is low and I can in fact convert one shorter type of omega 3 into a longer type is good enough. I mean, if a grass eating cow can produce it, then it's plausible that I can too.

Just some thoughts, not really arguing about supplements for it or not, I am definately not an expert at this point.

Going to go do some more 'vestigating though...
'

There was a video posted here a while ago on fatty acid intake. The creator of the video is a raw vegan, and a Dr or some kind of scientist. He explains in it how as long as vegans can keep the correct fatty acid ratio in balance the conversion rate from ALA to EPA and DHA is going to be efficient for all the body's needs. I don't think the studies about EPA and DHA in vegan diets being converted poorly took into account correct fatty acid intake ratio.

So this is why I don't worry about DHA (specifically) anymore, and I just make sure that my fatty acid intake is in a ratio 4:1 to 1:1 omega 6 to omega 3s.

For an even more increased rate of conversion, just to make sure, I also consume wakame and coconut oil. Wakame makes the body produce DHA in the liver, and coconut oil fatty acids can combine with omega 3 ALA to create EPA and DHA, as well for providing me a source of good saturated fats and maintaining a good level of HDL cholesterol.