Maintaining a balanced diet rich in different nutrients is vitally important for iron health. Today we want to talk about what exactly cholesterol is and how we can combat it, especially through Omega 3 acids.
There are different types of omega 3 acids, among which are ALA (alpha-linolenic), DHA (docosahexaenoic), DPA (docosapentaenoic) or EPA (ecosapentaenoic), among others. If we talk about DHA or docosahexaenoic acid, it helps the heart functions and vision work optimally. In addition, it maintains the normal functioning of the brain.
What Is Cholesterol
The first thing we should know is that cholesterol is a natural fat that helps the normal functioning of the body. The problem is high cholesterol levels, which can cause serious problems in multiple areas of our body. We will take 200 mg / dL as a reference, a figure that we must try not to exceed.
In fact, it is considered that those who have a cholesterol level above 240 are twice as likely to have a heart attack compared to those who control it. But, in addition, excess cholesterol in the inner wall of the blood vessels can lead to inflammation and, later, fibrosis.
How Omega 3 Acids Help Keep Cholesterol at Normal Levels
Omega 3 fatty acids are distributed throughout the body, modifying the composition of cells and the different functions of their plasma membrane. This makes it possible to determine the structure of each of the cells and their functionality within the entire system.
As a consequence, this entails different benefits to the various physiological processes that occur in the human body, keeping blood cholesterol levels within normal levels.
Main Sources of Omega 3
Omega 3 is one of the essential fatty acids in our body. That means that, since we cannot produce them ourselves, we must incorporate it through food. Some of the most common foods to eat are fish such as mackerel, salmon or tuna, as well as almonds and other nuts.
Cod Liver Oil. Another Way to Consume Omega 3
In addition to these foods, we can also get Omega 3 by incorporating cod in our diet, as we can see in this link. But, beyond buying the fish itself and eating it day after day, there is another way to consume it. We are talking about cod liver oil, an oil that is extracted directly from the liver of this fish which provides important doses of Omega 3 fatty acids.
Cod liver oil is the highest source of Omega-3 available per RDA. For example, Möller’s cod liver oil, a leading brand in the industry, contains 1.2 grams of Omega 3 fatty acids in just one teaspoon (5 ml).