A great deal of interest surrounds Omega 3 and cholesterol-fighting but the connection is often misunderstood.
The job of Omega 3 is not to destroy cholesterol; instead, what happens is the amount of “good cholesterol” in your blood goes up.
So taking Omega 3 for cholesterol is a smart idea because it changes something called your lipid profile.
The scoop on Omega 3 and cholesterol readings
It is easy to think that you want to have an overall lower cholesterol count for better health but this is not true. What is important to understand is that not all cholesterol is bad.
In fact, there are two types of cholesterol that make up your total cholesterol reading, HDL, commonly referred to as “good cholesterol” and LDL, commonly called “bad cholesterol.”
By taking Omega 3, cholesterol may not change significantly as a total but what can happen is the amount of bad cholesterol can drop and the amount of good cholesterol can rise and this is very good for your heart health.
How to lower your risk of heart disease with Omega 3 Fish Oils?
What you want to know is how you can use Omega 3 for heart cholesterol health. The answer can be found in your diet.
”Studies show that a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids may help lower triglycerides and increase HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol).
Omega 3 fatty acids may also act as an anticoagulant to prevent blood from clotting. Several other studies also suggest that these fatty acids may help lower high blood pressure.”
Eat your way to better heart health by including Omega 3-rich foods such as fish, bread, and other foods fortified with Omega 3, flaxseed, tofu, or a good supplement.
So your goal when taking Omega 3 is not to destroy the cholesterol in your body. Your body needs some cholesterol, especially the good type, HDL.
Instead, think of Omega 3 as cholesterol “clean up” because regular intake of this heart-healthy supplement will leave you with a cleaner heart health profile and that is the ultimate goal.
In case you’re looking to find more information on how to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease (without using omega 3 supplements of course), click here.
(1) Health Castle (2005). Health benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids. Retrieved from http://www.healthcastle.com/omega3.shtml
