Are you taking fish oil capsules? I wouldn’t be surprised.
Hundreds of studies prove omega-3s decrease your risk of heart disease. They also reduce the kind of inflammation that leads to chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and even Alzheimer’s disease.
But there’s a dark side to fish oil and your skin.
Heavy metals like mercury contaminate our oceans. So do chemicals like PCBs. These toxins accumulate in the fatty flesh of fish. When you eat those fish, or the oils pressed from them, you can ingest high levels of environmental contaminants.
Your skin could quickly show the effects. PCBs cause an acne-like skin condition called chloracne. Heavy metals can cause dry, flaky, dull skin and rashes.
Today I want to tell you about a safer source of omega-3s. One that’s better for your skin than fish oil.
The latest research reveals that one particular type of omega-3 fatty acid protects your skin from sun damage and keeps it looking young.
ALA Reduces the Signs of Photo-Aging in Your Skin
There are several different forms of omega-3s. The most important are DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid).
French researchers wanted to know whether eating more of these omega-3s could reduce the severity of skin damage from photo-aging.
They gathered 2,919 people between the ages of 45-60. The investigators examined each person and graded the severity of the photo-aging on their faces on a scale from 1 to 6.
Then for the next two and a half years, the subjects recorded what they ate every day. From their food choices, the researchers calculated how much omega-3s they were eating in the form of ALA, EPA and DHA.
Here’s what they found. Men and women alike who consumed more ALA from vegetable oils, fruits and vegetables had less severe photo-aging. The researchers concluded that omega-3s in general had a beneficial effect on skin aging.1 But ALA clearly made the biggest difference.
Here’s how you can protect your skin from the aging effects of the sun with ALA.
Defend Your Skin From Sun Damage With the Right Foods
Omega-3s are called “essential” fatty acids because your body can’t make them. You have to get them from your food.
But here’s what I notice at the Wellness Center. Many of my patients think “omega-3” means fish or fish oil. It’s true that the best sources of EPA and DHA come from cold-water fish like salmon.
But ALA is a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid. If you’re eating lots of fish, or taking fish oil supplements or cod liver oil, you’re getting EPA and DHA. But you’re NOT getting a lot of ALA. And that’s what this study found was most beneficial to your skin.
To get ALA, be sure to eat plenty of raw nuts and seeds. A handful of walnuts gives you about the same amount of omega-3s as 3.5 ounces of salmon. Brazil nuts, almonds and pumpkin seeds are some of my favorites. Flaxseed and chia seeds are also rich sources of ALA.
But if you really want to be sure you’re getting enough ALA, I recommend taking Sacha Inchi oil. It’s one of the richest plant sources of omega-3s in the world. It contains more than 48% ALA. That’s 5.15 grams of ALA in each tablespoon.
I put Sacha Inchi oil on salads or in stir-fries. It has a clean, fresh taste so you can even just take a tablespoon once a day if you like.
ALA may be your best natural protection against the aging effects of the sun.
1. Latreille, J, et al. “Association between dietary intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and severity of skin photo-aging in a middle-aged Caucasian population.” J Dermatol Sci. 2013 Jul 23. pii: S0923-1811(13)00250-8.