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According to Victoria Beckham and her dermatologist, Omega-3s are super important when it comes to keeping skin youthful, plump, and bouncy. Truthfully, the benefits of Omega-3s are beyond skin deep; from improved heart conditions to reduced inflammation, it’s a multi-tasker to say the least. If you’re as posh as Posh herself, maybe you’ll opt for salmon to be included regularly in your diet, but that’s not for everyone. Rather, many opt to get their Omega-3s in supplement form, most popularly, fish oil. While salmon and fish oil are in fact great sources of omega, they’re not suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Enter algae based omegas, a blend of complete omegas, comparable to that of fish oil. Get to know about the benefits of Omega-3 and why we love this Algae based option ahead. 

What is Omega-3? 

Omega-3 is an unsaturated fatty acid most commonly found in fish oils. These fatty acids work to strengthen a cell’s membrane to keep the cell from damaging, and in turn, keeping the body working in tip-top shape. There are many forms of Omega-3s, but the most commonly found are ALA, EPA, and DHA (all of which are found in our vegan pick!). 

Am I Not Getting Enough in My Food? 

It’s true, you CAN get sufficient Omega-3s in your diet without turning to a supplement, but as humans, we can’t get everything perfectly. Like salmon and other cold water fish, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, and brussel sprouts are all considered high in Omega-3s and are a good place to start if you’re looking to incorporate more omegas into your diet. It’s rare that someone is truly deficient in Omega-3s, but it’s not impossible: signs of omega deficiency include dry skin, painful joints, and poor concentration / memory loss to a name a few. If you feel these all apply to you, an omega supplement might be the addition to your routine you didn’t know you needed. 

What Are the Benefits of Omega-3s?

As we said before, the benefits of omegas run more than skin-deep. In fact, Omega-3 works on a molecular level to help upkeep your health starting with the very building blocks. In turn, a healthy intake of omegas may lead to some overall health benefits.

Omega-3 and Inflammation

Inflammation is a blanket term for so much that can occur in the body. Whether it’s itchy skin, painful or swollen joints, or heart disease, inflammation is at the root of it all. Many studies have been conducted to demonstrate, though, that Omega-3 intake can reduce inflammation by reducing the overall production of common inflammatory molecules. This of course has proven beneficial for people with autoimmune diseases and chronic skin irritation. 

Omega-3 and Eye Health

Eye health tends to be an afterthought for most, but it’s super important to keep your eyes in tip-top shape. One form of Omega-3s, DHA, is one of the most prominent structural components that makes up your retina, so an increased intake of Omega-3 can lead to a stronger molecular structure. Studies have shown there is a link between Omega-3 intake and macular degeneration (aka degeneration of the eye), and that increased omega intake can reduce that risk.

Omega-3 and Brain Health

One component of omegas actually accounts for 40% of the fatty acids that comprise our brains, which goes to show how crucial it is to our overall brain structure. This is why it’s recommended for pregnant mothers to increase their Omega-3 intake and that you’ll find “DHA Fortified” baby formula. Overall, Omega-3 intake should result in improved brain function and memory. Another component, EPA, is crucial to mental health – one study even found it to be as effective at fighting depression as common antidepressant drugs (this is not to suggest you replace any prescribed medication – your doctor knows best!).

Omega-3 and Skin

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – we’d do anything for our skin! Remember how we mentioned that the DHA in omegas helps to strengthen the cell’s membrane? Well this has some amazing benefits for the overall appearance of skin. The healthier and stronger a cell membrane is, the more supple and moist skin appears to be. Another component of Omega-3, EPA, actually helps reduce free radical damage on the skin! (Free radicals, if you don’t know, are introduced through pollution and sun exposure and eat away at our collagen and elastin, thus speeding up the aging process.)

Omega-3 and Sleep

Low levels of DHA, one of the components of Omega-3, is commonly linked to low levels of melatonin naturally produced in the body. Melatonin is one of the most important hormones to produce when it comes to sleep, so putting two and two together, low levels of Omega-3 can impact your sleep. In fact, studies have shown children and adults low in Omega-3 have more experience with sleep obstruction disorders such as sleep apnea. Regular Omega-3 intake can increase your melatonin levels more regularly, in turn, leading to all around better night’s sleep.

Shop Vegan Omega-3 Below

(Pst… use code CHILLTIMES15 for 15% off your first order on chillhouse.com)