The recently-announced USDA dietary guidelines stress the need for consumers to be more aware of the benefits of polyunsaturated essential omega-3 fatty acids in order to achieve a healthy diet. Many people look to fish, such as salmon, for omega-3s, but plant sources such as walnuts are also specifically noted in the USDA recommendations.
The type of omega-3s found in walnuts, and other plant sources such as flaxseed and dark leafy field greens, are different from the type of omega-3s found in fish. However, according to Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Nutrition at
The recently-announced USDA dietary guidelines stress the need for consumers to be more aware of the benefits of polyunsaturated essential omega-3 fatty acids in order to achieve a healthy diet. Many people look to fish, such as salmon, for omega-3s, but plant sources such as walnuts are also specifically noted in the USDA recommendations.
, "The omega-3 fatty acids from plants have many similar benefits to those found in fish."
The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least two times a week. However, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service, most Americans consume only about one serving of fish per week. "Obviously, Americans are not getting enough omega-3s from fish sources alone. Thus, an additional intake of omega-3 fatty acids from plant sources such as walnuts is important for heart health," says Frank Hu, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology, linoleic acid.
Plant sources provide an omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which the body converts to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and some to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) -- both found in fish. ALA and linoleic acid (LA) -- an omega-6 fatty acid -- are the only true "essential" fatty acids. "Marine source omega-3s are not essential because the body can create them from the plant source variety," Dr. Kris-Etherton explains.