It is quite annoying when the body is dependent on substances that it cannot produce itself. These include omega-3 fatty acids, for example. These essential fats are among the most important nutrients for the brain, heart and nervous system, but must be obtained from food, i.e. from the outside. The fatty acids EPA and DHA in particular, which are found in fatty sea fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring are integral components of human cell membranes and play a key role in numerous processes in the body. You could say that they help to keep cells flexible and efficient, especially in the brain and eyes. Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory effect and can lower elevated blood lipid levels. At the same time, scientists have been investigating their influence on cardiovascular diseases, age-related illnesses and concentration for years.
Is omega-3 only found in fish?
This is a health benefit that many people automatically associate with fish, especially salmon. However, fish does not produce omega-3 itself. The fatty acids EPA and DHA originally come from microalgae and small marine animals such as krill, which are eaten by fish. The fatty acids are then stored in the fatty tissue of the animals through their diet, but pollutants or heavy metals can also accumulate there. So it’s no wonder that many people are looking for plant-based alternatives.
Although nutritional societies recommend eating oily fish once or twice a week, many people rarely eat it, either because of the taste or because they follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. This is why plant-based sources such as linseed oil, chia seeds and walnuts are becoming increasingly important. However, there are differences: fish mainly provides EPA and DHA, i.e. the omega-3 fatty acids that the body can use directly. Plant-based foods, on the other hand, mainly contain ALA: a precursor that the body can only convert into EPA and DHA to a limited extent. Nevertheless, plant sources are also considered to make a useful contribution to the omega-3 supply. Read below to find out which foods contain particularly high levels of omega-3.
Which foods have more omega-3 than salmon?
In fact, some plant-based foods contain significantly more omega-3 than salmon (at least per 100 grams). While salmon provides around two to three grams, depending on the variety, some seeds and vegetable oils contain significantly more. However, this is not entirely comparable: hardly anyone eats 100 grams of linseed or drinks several tablespoons of linseed oil at once. In practice, only a small portion usually ends up in muesli, yogurt or salad.
Linseeds and linseed oil
Salads can also be packed with omega-3 fatty acids without fish (at least the dressing) as linseed oil contains around 50 to 60 grams of omega-3 per 100 grams. Linseeds contain around 16 to 22 grams of omega-3 and are also considered good for digestion.
