Omega-3 EFAs

NEW RESEARCH IS showing that Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) are potent suppressants of appetite.

Some people still labor under the false impression, or fear, that to lose weight, nearly ALL fats should be avoided. Nothing could be more wrong. The truth is, the right kind of fats can be a powerful assist in the effort to lose weight. Omega-3 fatty acids (also called “oils”) have an abundance of health benefits, only one of which is weight loss.  

Most people eat a diet that’s far too high in the worst kind of Omega oils: the Omega-6s. This includes corn oil, soy oil, and many other vegetable oils. These oils contribute to excess fat.  

Not so with Omega-3s. One recent research study reported in the journal Appetite confirms that Omega-3 EFAs are powerful appetite suppressants.

The research involved 232 overweight or obese volunteers over an eight-week period.  

“The most important finding of this study is that subjects who eat a dinner rich in long chain omega-3 fatty acids feel less hunger and more full directly after and two hours after than their counterparts fed with the low long chain omega-3 fatty acids diet,” the researchers concluded. “This observation indicates that long chain omega-3 fatty acids modulate hunger signals.” 

So where are Omega-3 fatty acids found? Here are some foods that supply concentrated levels of Omega-3s: 

• Fish oil supplements   
• Fish (salmon, cod, halibut, tuna, and others)    
• Chia seeds   
• Hemp seeds and oil   
• Flax seeds and flax oil   
• Olive oil   
• Winter squash   
• Walnuts     
• Tofu     
• Soybeans, navy beans, kidney beans   

The benefits of adding Omega-3s to your diet extend far beyond their ability to regulate appetite. They have also been shown to enhance neurological health, modulate moods, improve cardiovascular health and cognitive function, combat inflammation, and improve skin and hair.  

Omega-3s, as noted in the list above, can be found in many foods. But many health-conscious people include some form of daily supplementation to ensure they get plenty and enough. Best choices are fish oils, chia and hemp seeds, and either ground flax seeds or flax oil.

SOME EXCELLENT CHOICES FOR OMEGA-3s

 Hempseed Powder and Hempseed Oil

 Flaxseed Meal and Flaxseed Oil

Chia Powder and Chia Seeds

Fish Oil and Fish Oil Gels