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Friday, January 2, 2009

What are Omega-3 Eggs ?

[Extracted from WiseGEEK]



Omega-3 eggs are eggs that are produced by hens fed a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial to take into the body since the body doesn't produce them. They are thought to be crucial for overall good health and are said to help prevent cardiovascular disease. Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids is thought to lessen the risk of blood clots that could dangerously block arteries that connect to the heart.

Omega-3 eggs have three to six times the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids than regular eggs. Yet, a serving of two Omega-3 enriched eggs still has less than half of the Omega-3 fatty acids found in a 3 ounce (85 g) portion of salmon. However, many people don't care for fish, or choose not to eat it, so by eating Omega-3 eggs, they do get some Omega-3 fatty acids in their diet. Also, some people are allergic to fish and fish oils and cannot get Omega-3 fatty acids into their bodies by ingesting these foods. Some liquid Omega-3 egg products do contain fish oil to increase the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids in the product.

The type of Omega-3 fatty acid found in omega-3 eggs is Alpha Linolenic Acid. Alpha Linolenic Acid is found in flax seeds and it ends up in the egg yolks. You cannot get the benefits of Omega-3 eggs unless you eat the egg yolks. Nuts and some oils such as Canola, Soybean and Olive also contain Alpha Linolenic Acid. Eicosapentaenoic Acid is the type of Omega-3 fatty Acid found in fish.

Omega-3 eggs have become a popular product. This type of egg has greatly revived the egg industry since egg consumption became much lower after the American Heart Association (AMA) had found that eggs were high in cholesterol. Since Omega-3 eggs are designed to help lower cholesterol, it gave a healthier new option for egg lovers.

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