What are triglycerides?

Triglycerides are a type of fat in our blood. It can be stored under our skin, in our liver and belly. 


Why do high triglycerides matter?

Too much of triglycerides in our body would cause:

• Heart Disease 
  (Triglycerides may reduce blood flow in our heart) 
   
• Stroke 
  (Triglycerides may reduce the oxygen supply to our brain) 
   
• Uncontrolled blood sugar 
  (Triglycerides may lead to pancreas inflammation)
   
• Fatty liver 
  (Triglycerides are stored in our liver. Too much fat could cause liver inflammation)

Who are at risk of high triglycerides?

• High-sugar diet
• Smoker or drinker
• Family History
• Overweight
• Diabetes Group

 
What is Omega-3 fatty acids? 

Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid, meaning our body cannot create it and only food can provide the nutrients.

There are three main omega-3 fatty acids: 

1) Alpha- linolenic acid (ALA)

2) Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)

3) Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

 
Is plant-based Omega3 equal to marine sources of Omega3? 

No.  Plant based Omega-3 is well known to be high in ALA, which highly sourced from chia seeds, soybean and flax seeds, whereas, DHA and EPA are mainly from fish and other seafood. ALA can be converted into EPA and DHA by our body, but only in a very small amount. Hence, it is recommended to consume adequate amount of fishes or take dietary supplement to get the benefits of EPA and DHA.

The American Heart Association has recommended EPA and DHA in order to reduce triglycerides and the risk of coronary heart diseases. It is also proven that EPA and DHA can reduce inflammation and blood pressure.

 
How to choose the right fish oil? 

There are three categories of fish oil in general:

• Normal strength fish oil that contains 30% of Omega-3 
• Double strength fish oil that contains 50% of Omega-3 
• Triple strength fish oil that contains 70% or above of Omega-3 

Do you know that, the percentage of Omega-3 per capsule is important to identify how much the percentage of other fats are containing inside the capsule. As comparison, triple strength fish oil will have higher Omega-3 and lesser fish fat. Hence, triple strength fish oil is more suitable for those who age 40 and above because they are at higher risk for heart disease.