GEM Glossary: Omega 3 Benefits

Omega 3s: The Good Fats

Why Omegas? 🌍

While the human body can produce most of the types of fats it needs from other fats, this is not the case with omega 3s (1). Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid - it cannot be made from within our bodies, so we have to rely on getting it from food! What are the benefits of Omega 3? Omegas are important for the function of cell membranes and the cell receptors within them. They are the starting point for the regulation of blood clotting, inflammation and the contraction and relaxation of arteries.

Sources

• Oily fish like salmon, lake trout, tuna and herring  (2)
• Flax seeds 
• Walnuts 
• Soybeans 
• Leafy vegetables 

Where do we get it? 🌱

GEM sources our omega 3s from chia seeds! Chia seeds are incredibly nutritious and contain additional essentials like manganese, calcium, and phosphorus. Chia is high in linoleic acid, a fatty acid that helps the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. GEM contains vitamin D and K, so chia helps make sure those get fully absorbed! While some think the only way to get omegas is from fish oil capsules, chia actually has 8x more omega 3s than salmon. No more fishy burps!

Benefits

Fighting Inflammation 💪

Inflammation is the natural body defense to infection and damage within the body. Sometimes, inflammation can continue for long amounts of time within the body and can even happen without infection or injury. Long-term inflammation can lead to other chronic illnesses, like heart disease and cancer. Where do omega 3s come in to save the day? Omegas can help slow the production of molecules linked to inflammation (3).

Heart Disease ✖

The strongest evidence of the positive effects of omega-3 fats is linked to heart disease. The fats in omegas appear to help the heart beat at a steady rate and not deviate into a dangerous or potentially fatal erratic beat pattern.Omega-3 fats also help lower blood pressure and heart rate, improve blood vessel function, and, at higher doses, lower triglycerides and may ease inflammation.

Sleep 🛌

Although often times neglected, sleep is one of the most important foundations for a healthy life! There are many factors that can lead to sleep issues - everything from a stressful work schedule to an unbalanced diet. Low levels of omegas have been linked to sleep problems in children and sleep apnea in adults.