Let’s Get Fat Together!

We’re talking about Omega-3’s! These fats are essential to your overall health – specifically your heart, brain and skin. It has been thought that between 60-90% of people are deficient in this vital fat, resulting in sluggish and unhealthy daily activity. Our bodies cannot naturally produce Omega-3 fatty acids, so we rely on food to properly nourish our most vital parts.

 

Unfortunately for vegan lifestyles, it can be difficult to incorporate good, healthy sources of Omega-3 into an everyday routine. The most well known source of Omega-3 is fish oil – but for herbivories this can present a huge issue. Here are some of our favorite vegan-friendly plant sources of Omega-3! 

Sacha Inchi Oil – 7g per serving

Sacha Inchi is a beautiful vine plant indigenous to the Peruvian Amazon, which produces star-shaped pods containing seeds sometimes known as Inca peanuts.
 

The oil from the star-shaped sacha inchi seed is one of the highest plant sources of omega-3 essential fatty acids on the planet. Raw and sustainably grown, our cholesterol-free Sacha Inchi Oil is one of nature’s best sources of omega-3s, with 48% total content.
 

Cha-Cha Chia! -  3g per serving

These little seeds cultivated by the Aztec and Maya long ago are super versatile and easy to add to any diet—we’ve got loads of delicious ideas for you on how to use this energizing brain food!
 

If you want to boost your cognitive power, Chia Seeds pack an impressive omega-3 essential fatty acid (EFA) content — 3 grams in every serving! Your brain will be thanking you because omega-3s may contribute to your mental function.
 

Happy Hemp Day! 2.5g per serving

Considering that one of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, grew hemp, it’s somewhat illogical that many states in the U.S. are restricted or outright prohibited from growing this tiny superseed. Never mind that the oil, seed and fiber varieties of the hemp plant are used in everyday products currently bought and sold in the U.S., including skin care, clothes, paper, building materials, biofuels, and of course, superfoods.
 

Did you know that Hemp Seeds contain 36% protein, meaning that per serving, hemp has more protein than meat? Hemp is also one of very few plants that contains a proper balance of omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) which the body can’t produce on its own.
 

Sunfood Sacha Inchi Oil 8.45oz $24.95

Sunfood Chia Seeds 1lb $13.99

Sunfood Chia Seed Powder 1lb $14.95

Sunfood Hemp Seeds 1lb $21.95

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What’s the big deal about Omega’s anyway?

Omega-3 fatty acids practically benefit every part of your body – studies across the board have shown positive effects on the digestive, reproductive and nervous systems. Further studies even go to suggest that Omega’s have the ability to increase psychological health, assist with allergies and help control asthma.
 

The Standard American Diet is typically imbalanced with too many omega-6s and not nearly enough omega-3s. If you’re not deliberately making sure you’re getting your omega-3s, chances are you’re not getting enough. According to researchers at Harvard University, a lack of omega-3 intake is the sixth leading cause of deaths from preventable diseases in the US, with 72,000-96,000 deaths annually.₁
 

Symptoms of omega-3 deficiency include “fatigue, poor memory, mood swings, and depression,” to name a few.₂ So omega’s literally go to your head! Let’s talk about the big three: Brain, Heart and Skin.
   

Feed Your Brain

One study concluded that supplementation with the long chain omega-3 fatty acid found in the brain known as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) “improved memory and the response time of memory in healthy, young adults whose habitual diets were low in DHA.”₃ Researchers have also found that low levels of DHA can present a “risk factor for the development of AD [Alzheimer’s Disease], [as well as] “dementia and cognitive impairment.”₄
 

Similarly, people suffering from “major depression” were found to have a “deficiency of omega-3″ when compared to healthy volunteers.₅ If that weren’t enough, depression has been associated with “accelerated cellular aging,”₆ once again bringing us back to the importance of getting your omega-3s to feed your brain!

 
Feed Your Heart

Countless studies have shown the correlation between heart health and omega-3 levels. Omega-3s have been shown to “reduce CVD [cardiovascular disease] risk,” as well as ”inflammatory responses” in the cardiovascular system, “arrhythmia,” and “stroke.”₇
 

Because of the large body of scientific research associating omega-3 intake with decreased risk of heart disease, the American Heart Association recommends that adults eat fish at least twice a week.
 

For those who are vegetarian, vegan, or simply concerned with the fact that mercury is a ”global pollutant” to which human exposure “primarily results from consumption of estuarine and marine fish,”₈ sacha inchi oil is a safe, healthful solution to get your omega-3s without ingesting the toxins found in fish.

 
Feed Your Skin

Your skin is a reflection of what is going on inside your body. Omega-3 deficiency has been shown to result in “dry skin.”₂ With its rich omega-3 content, sacha inchi oil can help hydrate your dry skin from the inside out.
 

If your skin cells are strong and full of moisture with adequate omega-3s, the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles can decrease. Our sacha inchi oil is best taken internally, and it is even light enough to be applied topically to your skin to maximize its anti-aging properties.