What are Omega – 3’s?
Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids are vitally important for our health. They can;
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keep our brains & nervous system functioning properly
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improve our mood
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help reduce aches & joint pains
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keep our skin looking young
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assist maintaining a healthy heart
So, why the hell aren’t we eating enough?
Basically we are living a “pro-inflammatory” lifestyle, with way too much refined & processed foods and its literally killing us. Omega-3’s are “anti-inflammatory”, meaning that they can help counteract the effects of inflammation in the body. And inflammation is responsible for many of the chronic diseases that are rising in our population. Dementia, arthritis, depression, anxiety, obesity and allergies are just to name a few!
What Can We do to Fix this?
Well, we need to eat more foods containing Omega-3’s to start with! Here are some great examples of Omega-3 rich foods.
Fish
Deep sea cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, halibut and herring are concentrated sources.
Whole Plant Foods
Plant based sources include flaxseed, walnuts, chia seeds, soybeans, tofu, eggs (not really from plants!!), and seaweed. In addition, if you a red meat fan, then buy your meat grass-fed instead of grain fed, as grass fed meat has been shown to have a higher concentration of omega-3’s in it.
To make it easier, for all you choco-holics out there, we have included an easy-to-make Super Omega Dish for you to try below!
Recipe – Chocolate Chia Pudding, (from our Naturopath, Morgan)
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons cacao powder
- 1/3 cup chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup of agave syrup
- 1 dessert spoon honey
NB: for a lower carb option, replace agave syrup with stevia (use a small amount and add until desired sweetness)
Instructions
- Whisk cacao powder into coconut milk.
- Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
- Pour mixture into two serving glasses.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes until set.
Top with walnuts & Enjoy
