Excellent review of plant-based omega-3s by the Plant-Based Dietitian, who else? ALA - the short-chain omega-3s from plants, like flax, chia, walnuts, hemp are good for the heart, as well as the brain. A new review of the literature, just out in Advances in Nutrition, puts them on par with the long-chain omega-3s (EPA & DHA) found in fish--as long as you get a high enough daily dosage. Recommendations: To improve conversion of ALA--->EPA--->DHA, recommended intake of ALA is double the RDA and is 3.2 grams per day for men and 2.2 grams per day for women. Or consider a direct supplement of EPA and DHA of 200-300 milligrams 3 times a week. These are recommendations based on fatty acid expert Brenda Davis, RD. I get my omega-3s from plants: primarily chia (1 1/2 TBS/day--equivalent to 3 grams, walnuts, & Ovega--a DHA & EPA supplement derived from micro algae. Heres the newly published article that prompted the Plant-Based Dietitians omega-3 post: Fleming, JA et al. “The Evidence for α-Linolenic Acid and Cardiovascular Disease Benefits: Comparisons with Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid,” Advances in Nutrition 5(6):863S-876S, 2014 bit.ly/1yq9qo9 Not open access.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 22:51:47 +0000
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