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Omega 3 Sources – omega 3 eggs

Guest Article Blog Post:Omega-3 – How Good Is Omega-3 In Eggs?

Introduction

One of the latest trends is to move toward getting more Omega-3 in our diet for better health. What is Omega-3, how healthy are the Omega-3 egg compared to other eggs, and how much Omega-3 is in an egg?

What Is Omega-3

Omega-3 is known as an Essential Fatty Acid (EFA) because the body cannot produce it and must get it from other sources. There are three types of fatty acids. Two come from cold-water fish and they are DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). These two are immediately available for the body to use.

The other fatty acid is ALA (Alpha-linolenic acid) which is found in plant material such as flax oil, dark green vegetables and walnuts to name a few. The difference between the different types of fatty acids, is that ALA needs to be converted to DHA and EPA by the body to be of any use. The conversion factor is estimated to be as low as 1% and as high as 25%.

The benefits of EFAs are such things as improved heart function, lower cholesterol, reduce risk of cancer, improved brain function and many more benefits.

Egg Comparison

There are three types of eggs I will compare, the normal egg, free-range egg and eggs with Omega-3.

* Normal Egg- These eggs are laid by chickens raised in cages. They are fed food stuffs high in protein and antibiotics. This is the majority of our eggs and are the cheapest. They are also high in cholesterol and Omega-6. Because of all the processed foods we eat, we are actually getting to much Omega-6, which is raising the amount of inflammation in our bodies.
* Free-Range Egg- These eggs are laid by eggs that are allowed to roam free in pastures. Here their diet consists of vegetation and insects. By eating outside in the pasture, the nutritional value of the egg is raised. But they are more expensive than normal eggs.
* Omega-3 Eggs- Chickens who lay these eggs are fed flax seed which is high in ALA. These eggs have significantly less amounts of Omega-6 than conventional eggs and but are more expensive.

How Much and Type Of Omega-3 In Eggs

The amount of EFAs in eggs laid by chickens raised on flax seed is about five times the amount of EFAs found in regular eggs. The type of EFAs found in these eggs is ALA, which will need to be converted to DHA and EPA to be of benefit to the human body.

Conclusion

Eggs having Omega-3 in them are healthier for you but are more expensive. These eggs have the fatty acid ALA that will need to be converted by the body to be of benefit to your health.

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