Are you getting your fats right?

2. Are you getting your fats right? • A healthy body needs a mix of nutrients i.e. proteins, carbohydrates and fats – yes fats! • Fats are concentrated in calories • Helps the body absorb nutrients • Most of us eat too much fat • Yet the vast majority of us don’t get enough of one particular type – the omega-3s

3. Fat facts • Saturated fats: solid at room temperature, mostly from animal foods such, too much can trigger heart disease • Unsaturated fats: liquid at room temperature, from plant/vegetable/marine sources • Most of us need to reduce total fat intake (especially foods that are high in saturates) and replace them with unsaturated fats especially omega-3 fats.

4. Unsaturated fats • Monounsaturated – part of the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet (olive oil, avocados, nuts) • Polyunsaturated– omega-6 and omega-3 fats are essential fatty acids (or EFAs) or polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). • The body can’t make them – you have to get them from your diet.

5. More about omega-6 fats • Involved in many body processes • Vegetable oils (sunflower, safflower, and corn oil, meat, eggs and dairy) are major contributors • Most of us get plenty of omega-6s but not enough omega-3s • Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats (omega-6 and omega-3) is heart-healthy

6. Omega-3 fats and health • Long-chain varieties eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are vital building blocks for all cell membranes • EPA and DHA are needed for hormone production, to protect the immune system, for healthy vision and brain development and function, for healthy cell growth. • Both are potent anti-inflammatories and much more…

7. More about omega-3 fats • Brain and nervous system. Much of the brain is made from DHA) • Anti-inflammatory action. Inflammation is behind many chronic conditions such heart and blood vessel conditions. • Heart health. Adequate omega-3s may help to lower harmful fats and raise healthy HDL-cholesterol

8. More about omega-3 fats • Eye health. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, omega-3 intake may protect against age-related macular degeneration • Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Needed for brain and vision in the growing baby • Prostate health. Research suggests a link between omega-3s and reduced risk of death in men affected by prostate cancer • Cell ageing. Fatty acids may protect against cellular ageing

9. Nature’s edible antifreeze ! • Omega-3s liquid at very low temperatures • Without this natural antifreeze, cold water fish would freeze! • Helps keep your blood vessels flexible • Richest sources are oily fish e.g. salmon, sardines and fresh tuna. Seafood and white fish contain smaller but useful quantities

10. Could you be short on omega-3s? • Early hunter-gatherers ate a diet that with a 1:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats • They ate many more omega-3 rich organ meats (brain and bone marrow) • Wild-caught animal meat naturally contains more omega-3s than grain-fed, farmed livestock

11. Could you be short on omega-3s? • Today the ratio is around 15:1 in favour of omega-6 to omega-3 • In Japan where fish is a staple food, the ratio is 4:1 and the population is considered one of the healthiest worldwide

12. It’s a competition! • Omega-6s and omega-3s are chemically similar • When you eat more omega-6s, they compete with omega-3s for the same enzymes • The more omega-6s there you consume, the more enzymes are used up opposing some of omega-3s' beneficial effects • The result – fewer enzymes are available to convert omega-3 fats into anti-inflammatory chemicals needed to keep the inflammatory process in check

13. Getting the balance right • Some experts suggest that consuming too much omega-6 and so little omega-3 can trigger inflammation which may lead to heart disease and other conditions • Most experts agree that in the average western diet, you’re likely to get so many omega-6s that reducing your intake could bring health benefits • Cutting omega-6s and increasing omega-3s can help you to get the balance right

14. How much is enough? • The Heart Foundation recommends 500mg EPA and DHA daily • Around 1000mg of omega-3 (marine source) daily is recommended if you have heart disease • UK studies suggest a massive nine out of ten people fall short of this amount; the figure is likely to be similar here in ANZ

15. Boosting your omega-3s • Eat more fish. Two serves of oily fish weekly • Switch oil. Try canola oil which contains alpha linolenic acids (ALA) – a precursor to long chain omega-3s • Eat more veggie sources of omega-3s. Walnuts, flaxseeds (freshly ground), chia seeds, soy beans, tofu and leafy vegetables such as kale • Cut down on processed foods – manufacturers often use omega-6 rich vegetable oils

16. Converting non-marine sources • Nuts and seeds contain a short chain omega-3 called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) • This is converted into long-chain fatty acids (EPA and DHA) in the body • Conversion process isn’t efficient – 8-20% of ALA is converted to EPA and just 0.5-9% is converted to DHA • We lose the enzyme that converts ALA to EPA and DHA with age

17. What about fish oil supplements? • Fish oil is a readymade source of EPA and DHA • Derived from the flesh of cold-water fish, (e.g. salmon, mackerel, herrings, sardines and anchovies) • A naturally powerful anti-inflammatory • Supplementing your diet is useful for general health and to treat a range of conditions

18. Benefits of fish oil • Heart health – relaxes blood vessels and helps boost blood circulation • Joint health – reduces pain and swelling in joint conditions • Skin inflammation– can help to ease chronic inflammatory conditions • Behavioural problems – DHA may help to improve short attention span and restlessness

19. Benefits of fish oil • Healthy vision – those who ate the most fish oils had a 38 per cent lower risk of developing AMD (Harvard University). Highest concentration of DHA is found in the eyes • Healthy pregnancy, healthy baby – important for the healthy development of baby’s brain, nervous system and sight. The DHA in the brain triples in the third trimester. Breast milk is rich in omega-3s

20. Not all fish oils are created equal • ‘Not all kinds of omega-3s have the same health benefits.’ Dr Alex Richardson, Food & Behaviour Research • Products can contain little, if any of the important forms of omega-3s for human health, EPA and DHA • ‘Fish oil capsules or liquids that contain at least 500mg of EPA and DHA in a daily dose are a good source’ Australian Heart Foundation

21. Pesticides and purity • BiOmega: Offers exceptional purity – virtually free of harmful contaminants (mercury, PCBs, pesticides and other heavy metals) • BiOmega:safe and can be used long-term for long-lasting health benefits • BiOmega:fortified with vitamin D (most omega-3 rich marine sources naturally also provide vitamin D)

22. BiOmega • Contains 1000mg cold-water fish oil rich in the important omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA • Contains EPA 320mg and DHA 230mg (550mg total long chain fatty acids) • Easily absorbed

23. Taking BiOmega • Try a small amount to begin with and build up to the recommended amount. • Take with food to avoid a fishy aftertaste or digestive problems. • Use only as directed. Always read the label. Vitamin supplements should not replace a balanced diet.

24. And finally… • There’s no doubt that the vast majority of us don’t get enough omega-3s for good health. Cutting down on saturated fats and increasing your intake of vegetable and fish-based omega-3s is an important way to boost long-term good health. • Are you hooked on BiOmega yet?