OK, so talking about the health benefits of omega-3s isn't exactly the sexiest, most exciting topic, but you need them! Aside from reducing inflammation [1], helping to raise your HDL (the good!) cholesterol levels [2], and improving your overall heart health [3], getting your fill of omega-3 fatty acids can also fight depression and anxiety [4].
The National Institutes of Health recommends women 19 to 50 years old get 1.1 grams of omega-3s per day [5]. While fish is an excellent source, if you're vegan or vegetarian, you can also get omega-3s from seeds.
| 1 ounce of seed (28 grams) | Omega-3s |
|---|---|
| Chia | 4.9 grams [6] |
| Flaxseed (ground) | 6.4 grams [7] |
| Hemp hearts | 12 grams [8] |
Chia seeds, flaxseeds, and hemp seeds offer the most omega-3s out of all seeds. Here are some ways to add them to your diet:
- Make overnight hemp seed cereal [10].
- Enjoy gingerbread chia pudding [11] or chocolate protein chia pudding [12].
- Add seeds to smoothies [13] — they blend up so you won't even taste them!
- Sprinkle seeds on yogurt, fruit salads, or green salads [14].
- Use flax eggs [15] or chia eggs [16] in place of real eggs when baking.
- Add seeds to quick breads, homemade cookies [17], granola, or protein balls [18], or to your pancake batter [19].
