11 Easy Ways to Load Up on Healthy Omega-3 Fats

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to good health, but their benefits may be missed because the American diet is chock full of omega-6 fatty acids instead. (Learn more about the pros and cons of omega-3s and 6s here.) Many foods contain both fatty acids. To ensure you get your fill of -3, you'll need to be conscientious at the grocery store. Here are 11 ways to get more omega-3 and crowd out omega-6:

Salmon. This fatty fish is exploding with omega-3 and is relatively low in omega-6. It just may be the best omega-3 bang for your buck in the seafood aisle.

Bluefin tuna. This fatty fish is packed with omega-3s and low in omega-6. Not so keen on tuna? You've got choices: mackerel, herring, and rainbow trout.

Anchovies and sardines. Though not everyone's favorite, these slimy, oily options are other good omega-3 sources. They also tend to be high in sodium, though.

Crustaceans. Fish isn't the only kind of seafood that packs an omega-3 wallop. Shrimp, mollusks, and Alaskan king crab are also excellent sources that also won't load you up with omega-6.

Oils. Throw a dash of flaxseed oil onto salad and start cooking with canola oil for a nice hit of omega-3. By subbing out other vegetable oils (like soybean, corn, and cottonseed oils), you'll also lessen your omega-6 load.

Beans. Some legumes are better than others for tipping the omega balance your way. Kidney, pinto, and mungo beans will do you right. Chickpeas are less helpful.

Nuts and seeds. Add a nutty flavor to salad, yogurt, or morning mueslix with walnuts or flaxseed. A small handful of either will up your omega-3 intake.

Spinach. Popeye was on to something. Serve up this leafy green in a salad, or sauté it and add it to pasta.

Winter squash. Keep an eye out for this seasonal vegetable—it makes an interesting side dish that boosts your omega-3 intake.

Broccoli and cauliflower. These cruciferous veggies are on your side when it comes to omega-3s.

Papaya. A tropical delight, papaya may be the only fruit in your supermarket with more omega-3 than omega-6.

Foods That Lower Cholesterol

Oranges First up is a very common citrus fruit that contains pectin. Like other types of soluble fiber, pectin forms a gooey mass in your stomach that traps cholesterol and carries it out of your body before it can be absorbed into your bloodstream (where it contributes to clogged arteries). One medium orange provides about 2 to 3 g of soluble fiber, as well as other beneficial nutrients such as vitamin C, folate, and potassium. You have to eat oranges in order to benefit from their fiber content, so put your juicer aside, and choose thick-skinned varieties for the best taste and easiest peeling.

Oats Here's one you probably know about already, but you may not be aware of some of the less conventional forms and uses for this soluble fiber-rich grain. While oatmeal is an obvious winner, oat flour is another versatile option. If you can't find it in the places you typically shop, you can make your own by pulverizing rolled oats in a food processor. Oat flour can be substituted for up to half the all-purpose flour in most pancake and muffin recipes; I even use it in the low-fat oatmeal cookies my kids adore.

Beans and Lentils Beans and lentils are sky-high in fiber, a good portion of which is the heart-healthy soluble type. They're also a great low-fat replacement for animal protein, which is often full of saturated fat. Beans can be incorporated into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacks. For breakfast, make a burrito with scrambled egg whites, black beans, and salsa. At lunch, a bowl of lentil soup with a few whole grain crackers hits the spot. For dinner, skip the typical side dish of pasta, potatoes, or rice and try seasoned beans instead.

Sardines Just like salmon, their more popular marine relatives, sardines are ridiculously rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3's not only lower LDL cholesterol, they're also potent anti-inflammatories, and they significantly reduce blood levels of artery-clogging triglycerides. I'm convinced that most people who turn up their noses at the mere mention of sardines haven't actually tried them. If that's you, consider this yummy open-faced sandwich: spread two slices of whole wheat bread with a little bit of low-fat mayo and top each half with a couple of canned sardines, a slice of tomato, and a few fresh basil leaves.

Pistachio Nuts I love pistachio nuts, so I was thrilled when a 2008 study revealed that eating one or two handfuls (1.5 to 3 ounces) per day for four weeks significantly reduced LDL cholesterol in people with elevated blood levels. Turns out, these little powerhouses are a great source of phytosterols, the natural plant compounds that block absorption of dietary cholesterol. They're also rich in monounsaturated fat, fiber, and antioxidants — all of which are good for heart health. I prefer pistachios in the shell because it forces me to eat them slowly and prevents me from overdoing it with these healthy — but caloric — treats.

Oil Spray Because losing weight is the best way to lower your LDL ("bad") cholesterol and boost your HDL ("good") cholesterol, cutting calories is important. One surefire way to cut back is to use an oil spray in place of butter or bottled oils when cooking. Instead of purchasing disposable nonstick spray canisters, I use a reusable oil mister and fill it with my favorite brand of olive oil. Replacing the saturated fat in butter with heart-healthy unsaturated plant oils, like olive and canola, helps to improve your overall cholesterol profile.

Disease-Fighting Foods

“Let food be your medicine, and medicine be your food.” When Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, wrote those words more than 2,400 years ago, he was hundreds of years ahead of his time. Today, thousands of studies around the world confirm Hippocrates’ advice: What you eat has a powerful effect on your health.

Functional Foods

The buzz today is about “functional foods” that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Researchers say a diet high in fruits, vegetables, nuts and cold-water fish can make your immune system stronger and reduce your risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and age-related vision and mental problems.

Supplements vs. Food

Studies say that taking supplements instead of eating whole foods doesn’t provide the same benefits and may actually increase your risk of disease. Researchers think that the combination of natural chemicals found in whole foods work together to promote health.

10 Important Disease-Fighting Foods

Enjoy the benefits of these top food choices, found on your grocery store’s shelves:

Spinach

May prevent age-related vision problems; provides folate, a vitamin critical for reducing birth defects; reduces blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that increases heart disease risk; may protect the brain from aging

Broccoli

High in sulforaphane, a naturally occurring compound that may help destroy tumor-causing chemicals; provides indole-3-carbinol, a phytochemical (nutrient that comes from plants) that may protect against estrogen-related cancers

Salmon

One of the best sources for omega-3 fatty acid, a type of fat that may reduce the risk of blood clots and cardiovascular disease; has anti-inflammatory effect; may reduce risk of diseases such as diabetes, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, some cancers and mental decline

Nuts

Loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acid and vitamin E; helps reduce total blood cholesterol

Tomatoes

Rich in lycopene, a phytochemical that seems to play a role in preventing certain cancers

Berries

High in cancer-fighting phytochemicals; appear to have brain-protective properties that may help prevent, and possibly reverse, age-related declines in memory and learning ability

Beans / Legumes

Excellent source of protein, heart-healthy fiber, folate and antioxidants; may help reduce cholesterol levels

Oats

Rich in a type of fiber that’s effective in reducing total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol; effective in regulating blood sugar levels

Purple Grape Juice, Red or Purple Grapes, Red Wine

High in a cancer-fighting compound that may also help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease

Coffee and Tea

Coffee: Appears to reduce risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and age-related cognitive decline
Black Tea: May reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
Green Tea: May prevent certain types of cancer