David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Podcast: Omega-3 fatty acids ? Get the heart-health benefits
by Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., Mayo Clinic
Transcript
Welcome to Mayo Clinic's podcast. I'm your host, Rich Dietman. In today's podcast we're talking about omega-3 fatty acids and heart health with Katherine Zeratsky, a registered dietitian at Mayo Clinic. Katherine, thanks for being with us today. Let's start by talking about why omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart.
Katherine Zeratsky: Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids. Unsaturated fatty acids have long been associated with health benefits, due to the fact that they have a link to heart health, specifically lowering cholesterol levels. Other areas of promising research within the omega-3 fatty acids arena are looking more specifically at heart health related to lowering triglyceride levels, reduction in sudden deaths due to heart attacks and abnormal heart rhythms, and possibly lowering blood pressure levels.
Rich Dietman: So omega-3s are good for a lot of things that contribute to heart health, it sounds like. What are the best food sources of omega-3 fatty acids?
Katherine Zeratsky: Fish is truly the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically the fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, herring and sardines.
Rich Dietman: OK, but what if I don't like fish? What are some other foods that contain omega-3s that I could still get a good dose from?
Katherine Zeratsky: Certainly, not everybody likes fish or prefers fish, and there are other foods that are good sources of alpha-linolenic acid, and these are plant sources. And some of those foods are walnuts, flaxseed, soybeans or the oils from those foods.
Rich Dietman: So in the case of flaxseed, most likely it would be the oils, although there are some foods that are made from flax, aren't there?
Katherine Zeratsky: There are. Actually, you can buy flaxseed, ground flax and other varieties of flax in health food or even grocery stores now, and you can add them to yogurt, smoothies and sprinkle them on salads, things like that.
Rich Dietman: Are some food manufacturers adding omega-3s to their manufactured foods ? things like yogurt and margarine, and so forth?
Katherine Zeratsky: The food manufacturers have caught on to the health benefits, or potential health benefits, of omega-3 fatty acids, and they are now adding them to foods. Some of the foods that may contain the omega-3s would be margarines, cereals, snack foods and even baby foods, specifically the baby formulas. The addition of these fats is simply, they might add some of those flaxseeds or ground flax into the cereal, or they may use the oils from those foods to add into margarines or other foods.
Rich Dietman: If I wanted to find out whether a manufactured food product had omega-3 added, how would I find that out?
Katherine Zeratsky: The label will state as such. And the FDA does allow for health claims to potentially promoting heart health to be put on products that contain the omega-3 fatty acids.
Rich Dietman: So there might be something in addition to the nutritional information. There might be some claim by the manufacturer on the box or whatever it is that says it contains omega-3s.
Katherine Zeratsky: Exactly. It's likely right on the front of the package.
Rich Dietman: OK. Are omega-3 supplements another option if I don't get enough of it or don't think I'm getting enough of it in my food? Are there supplements that are another option? And do they have the same benefits as getting it more naturally from food?
Katherine Zeratsky: Certainly, there are fish oil supplements available for those people who don't have a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids naturally. However, we prefer most people get their nutrients from food ? that is what is recommended. If you are not eating fish or don't prefer fish, are not eating nuts or any of the other rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids, you can take a fish oil supplement. Be aware, however, that at this time the supplement industry is not regulated by the FDA as the medication industry is, the prescription medication industry is. Therefore, what the label claims is in the product may not be exactly what you're getting in the bottle.
Rich Dietman: So you have to trust that what they say is really in it.
Katherine Zeratsky: You do, so choose a manufacturer that you believe has a good reputation.
Rich Dietman: Katherine, how much omega-3 does a person need in terms of daily intake?
Katherine Zeratsky: Well, the FDA recommends that, from food sources, that we eat about 3 grams of the omega-3 fatty acids per day, and if we're taking a supplement, we should not exceed 2 grams per day.
Rich Dietman: OK, so it sounds like a relatively small amount.
Katherine Zeratsky: It is. Although it sounds like a small amount, it is fairly difficult to exceed that. To give you some examples, a general recommendation would be to eat about two 3-ounce meals of fatty fish per week. This may get you up to 1 to 2 grams of the essential fatty acids or the omega-3 fatty acids within that week's time. Another example would be walnut oil. Again, if you're not a fish eater and choosing to put walnut oil in a salad dressing, walnut oil has 1.4 grams of the omega-3 fatty acids in 1 tablespoon. And if you're choosing to take a fish oil supplement, a common amount of omega-3 in the fish oil supplement is about 0.3 grams per capsule.
Rich Dietman: Is there such a thing as getting too much omega-3?
Katherine Zeratsky: There is, and if someone were to take too much of a supplement, or have a diet extremely rich in the fatty fishes, you should be concerned about exceeding these limits because they could potentially lead to a side effect such as bleeding ? something as devastating as a stroke or as simple as a nosebleed.
Rich Dietman: So, it's good to follow the recommended dietary guidelines?
Katherine Zeratsky: It is.
About Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor for the Food & Nutrition Center, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet. A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999. She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in pediatrics at Mayo Clinic Rochester and nutrition education related to the physiology and recommended intakes for premature infants. Other areas of interest include breast milk and formula safety, neonatal feeding, and nutrition for breast-feeding mothers. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
by Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., Mayo Clinic
Transcript
Welcome to Mayo Clinic's podcast. I'm your host, Rich Dietman. In today's podcast we're talking about omega-3 fatty acids and heart health with Katherine Zeratsky, a registered dietitian at Mayo Clinic. Katherine, thanks for being with us today. Let's start by talking about why omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart.
Katherine Zeratsky: Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids. Unsaturated fatty acids have long been associated with health benefits, due to the fact that they have a link to heart health, specifically lowering cholesterol levels. Other areas of promising research within the omega-3 fatty acids arena are looking more specifically at heart health related to lowering triglyceride levels, reduction in sudden deaths due to heart attacks and abnormal heart rhythms, and possibly lowering blood pressure levels.
Rich Dietman: So omega-3s are good for a lot of things that contribute to heart health, it sounds like. What are the best food sources of omega-3 fatty acids?
Katherine Zeratsky: Fish is truly the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically the fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, herring and sardines.
Rich Dietman: OK, but what if I don't like fish? What are some other foods that contain omega-3s that I could still get a good dose from?
Katherine Zeratsky: Certainly, not everybody likes fish or prefers fish, and there are other foods that are good sources of alpha-linolenic acid, and these are plant sources. And some of those foods are walnuts, flaxseed, soybeans or the oils from those foods.
Rich Dietman: So in the case of flaxseed, most likely it would be the oils, although there are some foods that are made from flax, aren't there?
Katherine Zeratsky: There are. Actually, you can buy flaxseed, ground flax and other varieties of flax in health food or even grocery stores now, and you can add them to yogurt, smoothies and sprinkle them on salads, things like that.
Rich Dietman: Are some food manufacturers adding omega-3s to their manufactured foods ? things like yogurt and margarine, and so forth?
Katherine Zeratsky: The food manufacturers have caught on to the health benefits, or potential health benefits, of omega-3 fatty acids, and they are now adding them to foods. Some of the foods that may contain the omega-3s would be margarines, cereals, snack foods and even baby foods, specifically the baby formulas. The addition of these fats is simply, they might add some of those flaxseeds or ground flax into the cereal, or they may use the oils from those foods to add into margarines or other foods.
Rich Dietman: If I wanted to find out whether a manufactured food product had omega-3 added, how would I find that out?
Katherine Zeratsky: The label will state as such. And the FDA does allow for health claims to potentially promoting heart health to be put on products that contain the omega-3 fatty acids.
Rich Dietman: So there might be something in addition to the nutritional information. There might be some claim by the manufacturer on the box or whatever it is that says it contains omega-3s.
Katherine Zeratsky: Exactly. It's likely right on the front of the package.
Rich Dietman: OK. Are omega-3 supplements another option if I don't get enough of it or don't think I'm getting enough of it in my food? Are there supplements that are another option? And do they have the same benefits as getting it more naturally from food?
Katherine Zeratsky: Certainly, there are fish oil supplements available for those people who don't have a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids naturally. However, we prefer most people get their nutrients from food ? that is what is recommended. If you are not eating fish or don't prefer fish, are not eating nuts or any of the other rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids, you can take a fish oil supplement. Be aware, however, that at this time the supplement industry is not regulated by the FDA as the medication industry is, the prescription medication industry is. Therefore, what the label claims is in the product may not be exactly what you're getting in the bottle.
Rich Dietman: So you have to trust that what they say is really in it.
Katherine Zeratsky: You do, so choose a manufacturer that you believe has a good reputation.
Rich Dietman: Katherine, how much omega-3 does a person need in terms of daily intake?
Katherine Zeratsky: Well, the FDA recommends that, from food sources, that we eat about 3 grams of the omega-3 fatty acids per day, and if we're taking a supplement, we should not exceed 2 grams per day.
Rich Dietman: OK, so it sounds like a relatively small amount.
Katherine Zeratsky: It is. Although it sounds like a small amount, it is fairly difficult to exceed that. To give you some examples, a general recommendation would be to eat about two 3-ounce meals of fatty fish per week. This may get you up to 1 to 2 grams of the essential fatty acids or the omega-3 fatty acids within that week's time. Another example would be walnut oil. Again, if you're not a fish eater and choosing to put walnut oil in a salad dressing, walnut oil has 1.4 grams of the omega-3 fatty acids in 1 tablespoon. And if you're choosing to take a fish oil supplement, a common amount of omega-3 in the fish oil supplement is about 0.3 grams per capsule.
Rich Dietman: Is there such a thing as getting too much omega-3?
Katherine Zeratsky: There is, and if someone were to take too much of a supplement, or have a diet extremely rich in the fatty fishes, you should be concerned about exceeding these limits because they could potentially lead to a side effect such as bleeding ? something as devastating as a stroke or as simple as a nosebleed.
Rich Dietman: So, it's good to follow the recommended dietary guidelines?
Katherine Zeratsky: It is.
About Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor for the Food & Nutrition Center, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet. A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999. She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in pediatrics at Mayo Clinic Rochester and nutrition education related to the physiology and recommended intakes for premature infants. Other areas of interest include breast milk and formula safety, neonatal feeding, and nutrition for breast-feeding mothers. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
