This post is written in partnership with New Chapter, however all opinions are my own. I only work with and recommend companies whose products I love, and I’m so excited to share these with you!
Good fats? Consider these great fats!
We need omega fatty acids on a cellular level for optimal health and wellbeing. Every cell in our body has a lipid bilayer, which is a cellular membrane containing everything the cell needs for nutrient and energy transfer and for communication. To keep the integrity of the structure of the cell wall we need a balance of fats in our body, including Omega’s 3, 6, 7 and 9.
These great fats are also needed for brain health, nerve health, joint health, eye health, mood and cognitive function, and cardiovascular health. High levels of omega 3 fats in tissue has even been shown to help against environmental free radical exposure. Omegas are also a huge part of the body’s inflammatory response and work as signalling molecules to ensure a balanced inflammatory response. Inflammation is the root cause of most chronic disease, and we should all be prioritizing inflammation modulating foods, supplements and lifestyle behaviours as one of the keys to optimum health.
Omega’s 3 and 6 are what we all know as Essential Fatty Acids, or EFA’s, meaning that they are not made directly by the body. We need to be consuming them in our diet to ensure adequate amounts for all the numerous metabolic processes they are needed for. Great food sources of essential fatty acids include oily fish, chia seeds, flax seeds, avocados and leafy greens.
When we eat plant based foods with Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids by consuming them in the forms of Linoleic Acid and Alpha Linolenic acid. To convert these into EPA and DHA, which are the most beneficial forms of Omegas for health, our body has to go through a complicated and rather inefficient enzymatic process which can use up valuable micronutrients.
Further down this enzymatic chain, EFA’s can be converted to eicosanoids, which are a vital part of our immune and inflammation response.
Even when we consume Omega 6 and Omega 3 rich foods (such as oily fish like salmon and mackerel) we would need to be eating them at least 3 times a week for levels beneficial for health, which is something I know neither my clients nor I do on a regular basis!
I recommend that all my clients take a daily fish oil supplement such as New Chapter’s Wholemega Whole Fish Oil as I know it will support their health goals. When we supplement with a good quality fish oil, such as Wholemega Whole Fish Oil, we are getting the EPA, DHA and other Omega 3’s, 5’s, 7’s and 9’s in their fully converted state, meaning we do not need to use precious enzymes and other co-factors such as vitamins and minerals (which may be needed elsewhere in the body) to convert them to their most effective form. When taken daily, a week of Wholemega actually provides Omegas equivalent to 3 servings of wild salmon, which is right on target with recommendations.
New Chapter’s Wholemega Whole Fish Oil comes from 100% wild caught Alaskan Salmon and includes 17 omega fatty acids (including Omega-3s EPA and DHA, and Omega 9s which most people do not consume enough of in their diets), Vitamin D3, and Astaxanthin, an antioxidant. What I particularly love about Wholemega is that it’s 100% sustainably caught Wild Alaskan Salmon oil, so I know that it’s an ocean-friendly choice as well as a healthy one.
And whilst I highly recommend supplementing with New Chapter’s Wholemega Whole Fish Oil to ensure optimum levels of essential fatty acids, we can still benefit our health and vitality by doing double duty and adding great fat boosting and inflammation modulation foods to our diet! And even better, they can taste delicious too!
Wild Alaskan Salmon Salad with New Chapter Fermented Turmeric Tahini Probiotic Dressing
For the salad:
· 1 fillet wild Alaskan salmon, grilled
· 2 cups leafy greens
· 1 cup finely sliced beets
· 1 cup pickled carrots
· ½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
For the dressing:
· 1 serving New Chapter Fermented Turmeric Booster Powder
· 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut yoghurt
· Juice of half a lemon
· Pinch Himalayan salt
· Pinch black pepper
Place all dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake well. Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl and dress, ensuring all ingredients are coated thoroughly.
References:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159118302204
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0952327816302137
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221295881730157X
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032717320141