Easy ways to include more omega fatty acids in your diet

Kidney beans have ample amount of omega 3 fatty acids – all the more reason to love rajma chawal now. Source:  Jessica and Lon Binder, Flickr

Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids are the good kind of fat that your body needs for optimal functioning. The benefits are many, and include brain and eye health in infants apart from maintaining your ticker’s health. These fatty acids are also essential for healthy lungs, keep the circulatory system in top shape and help with the overall maintenance of skin and organs.
Since the body cannot synthesise these on its own, it is important to adopt a diet that supplements the same in ample amounts. Of course, consuming fish at least three times a week is an ideal way. But making small modifications to your daily diet can also go a long way in upping your overall intake of these heathy fats.

Try to include olive oil in your diet as much as you can. Drizzle a tiny amount over vegetables, salads and dips – it will also enhance the flavour of the food by a whole lot.

Switch to low-fat yoghurt to make cream sauces for pastas, salad dressings or soups.
Watch how to make low fat lemon yoghurt salad dressing:

Replace butter with non-hydrogenated margarine.

When sautéing veggies for meals, use canola oil or olive oil instead of butter.

Spinach is a wonderful source of omega 3 fatty acids. Bulk up soups with chopped spinach, saute with spices for a side dish to baked or roasted meat.

Kidney beans are also rich in omega 3 fatty acids and can be added to salads, stir fries apart from the usual rajma chawal, that almost everyone loves to gorge on.

For those who eat salads regularly, do away with store bought dressings that contain artificial colours, flavourings and unnecessary calories. Learn to make a few simple oil based dressings, seasoned with herbs – they’re healtheir and are also extremely cost effective.
Watch how to make lemon and garlic vinaigrette for salads:

Include nuts like cashew, almonds and walnuts in your diet – snacking on (unsalted) roasted variants is ideal.

When stir-frying vegetables, chop up some cashew or almonds. Not only will this add to the nutritive value but add a bit of crunch and texture to the dish.

For vegetarians, adding chopped walnuts to salads is a good way to get your quota of omega-3 and omega 6 fatty acids.
Featured image source: atlnav/Flickr