Organic Flaxseed - Whole Flaxseed, Ground Flaxseed and Fish Oil

"you may take fish il and some
flaxseeds for better health"

Question:

Organic Flaxseed. I currently purchase whole flaxseed, grind it up and put it in almost every meal. Should I take fish oil supplements also in order to get the necessary omega 3. Is one better than the other? Should I continue to eat the ground flaxseed and also get the fish oil supplements?

By Baseball mom

Answer:

Baseball Mom, there are several things to take in consideration:

1-When you grind the flaxseeds it gets in contact with oxygen. Unless you eat it right away, the oxygen attacks the ALA available and you end up taking something that won’t benefit you for the omega 3. So, if you are going to take it, you better grind it yourself.

2- The ALA in the flaxseeds have to be converted by the body into EPA and DHA, in order to be active as Omega 3. This conversion is very inefficient, maybe 10% of the flaxseeds.

3- The minimum omega 3 I recommend is 3 grams/ day. The ideal should be around 6-9 grams, depending on the purpose. For example, if you have high triglycerides probably you will need more that if you are young and want to maintain your body in good shape.

4-Remember that the omega 3 available to your cells depends on the omega 6 you have in your body since they fight for the same enzymes. If you eat a lot of things cooked in vegetable oils, grains and sugars, you will have less enzymes available to use your omega 3. You should limit the omega 6 in order to get enough omega 3.

Flaxseeds has Alpha Linolenic Acid, ALA, which is a precursor of EPA and DHA, the ultimate acids our body use. In order to do that, the body employs enzymes that convert ALA to EPA and DHA. Some people lack these enzymes and do not make the conversion.

Besides, even normal people only get about 10% rate of conversion from ALA to EPA and DHA. In other words, even if you make the conversion from ALA it may be difficult to get proper dosage of EPA and DHA to get most of the benefits of omega 3. On top of all that, studies link flaxseeds to increase rates of prostate cancer.

More info at Benefits of Fish Oil Supplements

My best to you.

Do you know why Omega 3 with DHA is so good for you? Most people don’t - and as a result they do not enjoy the level of vibrant health that they should! Instead they suffer from avoidable ailments such as heart disease. Even worse, many people as they get older, gradually ‘lose’ their mind and live out their twilight years not even recognizing their friends or family.

Scientists throughout the world believe a great deal of the suffering caused from these diseases could be avoided by adequate intake of an essential Omega 3 fatty acid found in fish oil called DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) You may want to read this information.

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