Have you wondered why so many people are recommending ‘Omega-3s’ for fat loss?
If Omega-3s are a source of fat… isn’t that bad for you? How does it help actually lose fat?
The truth is, contrary to the old wives tales… the good saturated fats do NOT make you fat. Quite the opposite – they are very beneficial to your health and your weight loss goals.
Just What Exactly are Omega-3s Anyway?
Omega-3s are part of a group of fats that are called essential fatty acids (EFAs). They are called ESSENTIAL fatty acids because your body requires them for some of the critical biological processes including energy production and even the burning of fat from your body’s fat stores.
Recently Dr. Udo Erasmus, one of the world’s leading experts on the role of essential oils, stated that omega-3 deficiency is the number one deficiency in the world. According to Dr. Erasmus, over 99% of the world’s population is severely lacking in this essential nutrient.
The reason why Omega-3s are called ‘ESSENTIAL fatty acids’ is because your body actually requires good sources of fat for proper functioning – and you can’t get better than Omega-3!
Common Benefits of adding Omega-3s to your Diet
There are countless studies on the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, and many of those studies talk about the role that omega-3s play in fat burning and weight loss. These studies suggest that omega-3s:
- Lower insulin levels by helping you restore your natural insulin sensitivity. This means the extra calories you eat are burned as energy instead of being stored as body fat.
- Suppress the production of cortisol, a stress-related hormone that can also cause you to store instead of burn off excess fat.
- Improve the blood flow to muscles during exercise thus allowing your body to burn more fat.
- Improve your blood sugar levels so you have more energy to use throughout the day.
- Increase your metabolic rate so your body burns fat faster.
- Support you liver – also known as your fat management organ.
- Increase satiety levels – making you feel fuller for longer.
- An excellent source of Natural Energy.
Are You Getting Enough Essential Fatty Acids in Your Diet?
Chances are you are part of the 99% of the world’s population that is currently experiencing an omega-3 deficiency, which is somewhat alarming because every single cell in your body requires these essential nutrients.
So what is the best way for you to get these fatty acids into your body?
Most health professionals recommend consuming more foods that contain omega-3s. Foods such as:
Flaxseeds
Just one ounce of flaxseeds provides 1,800 mg of omega-3s. The main omega-3 offered by flaxseed is alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, and this your body converts into DHA and EPA. The great thing about flaxseeds is that they are so versatile. You can simply add some to your salads for a nice crunch, stir some into your oatmeal or yogurt, or bake them into muffins.
Walnuts
Walnuts offer more omega-3s than any other nut providing 2,600 mg per serving. They can be eaten raw – a handful makes a great snack before or after workouts – added to soup and salads, or cooked with vegetables to make a delicious and healthy side dish.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens all offer about 100 mg of omega-3s per half-cup serving.
Mackerel
Holy mackerel! Yes, we had to say that. Salmon gets all of the omega-3 glory but it turns out mackerel provides more per serving – 2,200 mg as opposed to salmon’s 1,700. Mackerel is a great tasting fish that does well on the grill or BBQ.
Tofu
For those vegans looking for a meat substitute that contains a good amount of omega-3s, you need only look to the classic and versatile tofu. A 4 ounce serving has 300 milligrams. You can easily replace meat with tofu in your stir-fries, salads, and soups.
Edamame
You may have had these delicious soybeans as an appetizer while waiting for your sushi, but you should be eating them more often than that if you’re looking for a good source of omega-3s and protein. A serving contains 560 mg of the essential fatty acids.
Enriched Eggs
If you don’t feel like eating flaxseeds or fish oil, no problem, many farmers are feeding these food items to their hens, which in turn lay eggs that contain even more omega-3s. When shopping, look for the cartons that say the eggs are enriched with fatty acids.
Sweet Red Peppers
No one ever talks about these delicious vegetables being a terrific source of omega-3s, but just one cup of sweet red peppers contains a whopping 822 mg!
If you don’t like fish or don’t like consuming a lot of fish or green vegetables, there are many good supplements on the market that are convenient and work just as well as consuming fresh caught fish – and in my next blog post, I’ll explain the difference between good, superior Fish Oil Supplements… and that cheap, knock-off stuff that’s all over the market. I’ll also explain exactly how much you should be taking each day in order to get the MAXIMUM benefits.
(Editor’s note: If you’d rather not wait until tomorrow – here’s MY recommended brand of Omega-3 oil)
For most people, the effects of Omega-3 in your diet start to show immediately. As well as the benefits mentioned above, you’ll also start to notice a decrease in your carb cravings, along with less pain in your joints. The combination of these two alone will help you make better food choices and exercise more… and before you know it, you’ll see the weight just sliding off your body. Essentially, you’ll start to LOOK and FEEL better than ever before.
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