What are omega-3 fatty acids explained in simple terms?
Polyunsaturated fats called omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3s) play crucial roles in your body. Your body is unable to produce the necessary levels of omega-3s for survival. Omega-3 fatty acids are therefore essential nutrients, meaning you must consume them in food.
Saturated fat and unsaturated fat are the two main fatty acid types. Polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat are formed when saturated fat is further broken down. These are terms you commonly see on nutrition labels.
Carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms make up the chain-like chemical molecules known as fatty acids. The carbon atoms serve as the chain’s backbone, and oxygen and hydrogen atoms attach to any open spaces.
A saturated fat has no more open slots. A monounsaturated fat has one open slot. A polyunsaturated fat has more than one open slot.
Because they raise your risk of developing certain illnesses like heart disease and stroke, saturated fats are sometimes referred to as “bad” or “unhealthy” fats. Unsaturated fats, particularly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, are regarded as “good” or “healthy” fats because, when consumed in moderation, they support heart health.
Omega-3s are a type of polyunsaturated fat and are a better choice for your diet than saturated fat.
All of your body’s cells benefit from omega-3 fatty acids by performing as they should. They play a crucial role in the structure and function of your cell membranes, supporting interactions between cells. While essential for all of your cells, omega-3s are particularly concentrated in high levels in the cells in your brain and eyes.
Additionally, omega-3 fatty acids fuel your body with calories and promote the health of numerous body systems. These include your cardiovascular system and endocrine system.
There are three main types of omega-3 fatty acids:
You must consume omega-3 fatty acids as part of your diet. Your body can convert some of the ALA you consume from food into EPA and then DHA. However, only a small amount of EPA and DHA are provided by this process. Dietary sources of EPA and DHA, such as fish, are therefore crucial.
3) Rich In Protein <img class=”size-full wp-image-15105 aligncenter” src=”https://www.nutritionadvance.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/xraw-mackerel-on-a-kitchen-board-with-lemons.jpg.pagespeed.ic.6Rf8WVJNXV.jpg” alt=”Raw Mackerel On a Kitchen Board With Lemon Slices.” width=”640″ height=”427″ srcset=”https://www.nutritionadvance.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/raw-mackerel-on-a-kitchen-board-with-lemons.jpg 640w, https://www.nutritionadvance.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/raw-mackerel-on-a-kitchen-board-with-lemons-300×200.jpg 300w, https://www.nutritionadvance.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/raw-mackerel-on-a-kitchen-board-with-lemons-630×4jpg 630w” sizes=”(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px” data-pagespeed-url-hash=”4149696508″/>
Mackerel is an excellent source of dietary protein, and a regular fillet of mackerel offers 20.8 grams of protein (14).
Additionally, mackerel is a complete source of protein, which means the fish includes sufficient quantities of all nine essential amino acids (15).
As a relatively fatty fish, mackerel does not provide as much protein as leaner fish options like cod and haddock.
But eating mackerel is a great way to get high-quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
5) An Excellent Source of Selenium
Another health benefit of mackerel is that just one small fillet provides 71% of the recommended dietary intake for selenium (3).
Selenium is an essential mineral that has numerous important functions in our body, and these include (17);
Furthermore, a systematic review of randomized controlled trials suggests that higher selenium intake may lower several risk factors for cardiovascular disease by (18);
Interestingly, selenium is also known to bind mercury. While this topic is not currently fully understood, it may potentially make the minimal mercury levels in mackerel less of an issue.
FAQ
How much omega-3 is in 100g of mackerel?
The good news is that mackerel contains a lot of omega-3, and just one fillet has 2991 mg of the fatty acids. This equals 2670 mg of omega-3 per 100 grams (3). Notably, mackerel is a very inexpensive fish and provides more omega-3 than the majority of other oily fish.
Which fish has highest omega-3?
…
Good omega-3-rich fish options include:
- Salmon.
- Sardine.
- Atlantic mackerel.
- Cod.
- Herring.
- Lake trout.
- Canned, light tuna.
Does mackerel have more omega-3 than salmon?
Mackerel’s rich flavor is a great way to add some variety to your diet, and it has very similar levels of omega-3 to salmon. It may even have more omega-3 fatty acids than a serving of salmon, depending on the quality of the fish. ).
How much omega-3 is in a tin of mackerel?
(Triple-analyzed) cans of mackerel fillet in tomato pulp contained 27 grams of food. 0 g TG, 1. 0 g PL, 1. 1 g EPA, 1. 4 g DHA (together 2. 5 g long-chain omega-3 FA per can).
