If you’re not a fan of fatty fish or fish oil supplements, you’re likely not getting enough omega-3s for optimal heart and brain health. Omega-3s are essential fatty acids that are necessary for visual and neurological development in infants and confer several additional health benefits for adults such as normalizing blood pressure and triglycerides and reducing symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, depression and age-related cognitive decline.
The two forms of omega-3s responsible for the majority of these health benefits are DHA and EPA, primarily found in fatty fish/fish oil. (Other forms, ALA and SDA, are converted by the body to EPA and DHA in insignificant amounts.) For heart health, the recommendation is 3 ounces of fatty fish at least twice a week or 1 gram (1,000 milligrams) DHA+EPA daily, according to the American Heart Association. On average, Americans get a mere 150 milligrams a day.