Heart-healthy fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, the critically important polyunsaturated fats with powerful healing powers. Cold-water fish are exceptionally rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids—and the colder the water, the more omega-3 fatty acids there are in the fish. Salmon, sardines, sea bass, tuna, trout, mackerel, and anchovy contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA), the most potent forms of omega-3s. (Another form of omega-3 fatty acids, alpha lineolic acid, comes from plants.) Because omega-3 oils mostly come from cold-water fish and wild game—not often found in most American diets—most people don’t get enough of these essential fatty acids (EFAs). In addition, many food processors eliminate natural omega-3 oils, which have a tendency to spoil, to keep their products fresher. Scientific evidence for the benefits of fatty fish and fish oil has been building since the late 1970s when it was discovered that the native Inuits, who ate a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids, had surprisingly low heart attack rates. Since then, thousands of studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids promote cardiovascular health—and a host of other physiological and mental functions. Given the mounting evidence, the American Heart Association released new dietary recommendations in the fall of 2000 advising that everyone eat at least two 3-ounce servings of fatty fish every week. Others suggest three or more servings of fish per week.
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