Omega-3s and Your Health

Fish are often touted as the best source, but I'm not going to eat fish or take fish oil supplements. What should a vegetarian do to get omega-3s?

The basic omega-3 is called ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), and the most healthful sources are actually plants, not fish. ALA is in many plants, both on land and in lakes and oceans. You will find traces of it in green vegetables, beans, and fruit, and larger quantities in walnuts, soy products, and especially in ground flaxseeds and flax oil. ALA is the only omega-3 that is essential in the diet. Your body can convert it to other omega-3s: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). DHA is prevalent in the brain and retina, and may play a role in brain development.

There are several problems with fish and fish oils as an omega-3 source: First of all, a surprising amount of fish fatbetween 15 percent and 30 percent -- is plain old saturated ("bad") fat, the same sort of fat found in chicken or beef. And, like all animal products, fish have cholesterol. Of course, the best-known problem is contamination, with everything from mercury to PCBs. Because fish are carnivorous, they harbor contaminants from the smaller fish they eat.

Fish get their ALA from plants -- just as humans do. They get it from plankton, and convert it to other omega-3s. As smaller fish are eaten by bigger fish, it then passes up the food chain.