Omega-3 Fat Has Definitive Support to Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease

Posted on :  September 30, 2020
Heart disease is the number one killer of Australians. A new study gives new insights to support omega 3 fat in supporting a healthy heart.

by Ashleigh Feltham
Accredited Practising Dietitian and Accredited Nutritionist

Heart disease is the number one killer of Australians. Your lifestyle choices play a major role in either increasing or decreasing your risk. One of these major lifestyle choices is your diet. Following a largely plant-based diet with healthy fats such as omega 3 fat is linked to a healthier heart. The good news for lovers of Safcol Seafood is a study which was released on the 17th of September 2020. This study has provided new insight and strength of evidence to support the role of omega 3 fat in supporting a healthy heart.

A comprehensive assessment of 40 studies using a meta-analysis concluded that the specific type of omega -3 fat found in seafood like Safcol Seafood was linked to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. The type found in seafood is made up of two components called EPA and DHA which are the types the body needs to be able to use omega-3 fat. When you eat omega-3 fat in plant-based forms it is made up of ALA and only around 1% of the total omega-3 fat can be converted to the usable form of EPA and DHA.

This analysis found EPA and DHA could reduce your risk of:

  1. Death from heart disease by 9%
  2. Risk of heart disease by 10%
  3. Risk of a heart attack by 13%
  4. Risk of death from a heart attack by 35%

The researchers assessed studies which used supplements but did promote food as a first step to give your body enough omega-3 fat regardless of supplementation. Including fatty fish like salmon, sardines and anchovies which contain not only omega-3 fat but a whole matrix of nutritional benefits for your body far outweighs a single supplement. Unfortunately, many people do not meet the recommended 100g serving of seafood 2 to 3 times a week.

If you are not sure how to include seafood in your diet make sure you check out the many recipe ideas available using Safcol seafood on the Seafood Experts website. You can select the course, time to make, dietary restrictions and the seafood type you are using!

Take home message

Do not compromise your heart health. Safcol Seafood provides many quality choices which are sustainably sourced to look after both your heart health and the health of the planet at the same time.

Not only is Safcol the Seafood Experts tuna lunchbox friendly, but it also tastes delicious, and boasts some amazing health benefits! Tuna contains Omega-3 fats that are an unsaturated form of fat called polyunsaturated. These types of fats cannot be made by the body, so we need to include them as part of our diet to stay healthy. For good health, you need omega-3 fats in our diet, particularly the type which comes from fish and seafood because it contains two acids known as docosahexaenoic acid or DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA. These two acids are linked to better health for your body particularly for your brain and heart.

References:

Elsevier. (2020, September 17). Authoritative new analysis links increased omega-3 intake to cardioprotection and improved cardiovascular outcomes: Study indicates that EPA and DHA supplementation reduces multiple types of cardiovascular risk. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 20, 2020 from sciencedaily.com