It is already well-known that omega 3 can be helpful in weight loss. But how?
The answer lies in the fact that omega 3 fatty acids are essential for the conversion of excess fat into glycogen. In short, when we eat a large amount of carbohydrates, our body breaks them down to glucose which is used as an energy source and stored as glycogen. However, because there is no upper limit on carbohydrates (in contrast with fats), the excess glucose gets stored as fat. This storage process occurs through insulin production and reduced burning of fats for energy. Omega 3 reduces insulin secretion – so instead of storing all this carbohydrate in a form of fat, it’s burned off!
Furthermore, it has been shown that insulin resistance (the body’s inability to detect insulin and use it efficiently) is increased by the presence of trans-fats, which are abundant in modern diets. Omega 3 also helps reduce this resistance! As you can see, omega 3 fatty acids have many positive health benefits which include weight loss, heart disease prevention, healthy brain function – even fighting cancer!
If you would like to lose some weight, besides including a high amount of omega 3 into your diet through regular fish consumption (salmon is excellent for that!), it may be helpful to take supplements as well. The reason why fish oil isn’t effective when taken in isolation becomes clear when we look at the whole picture: while salmon does contain omega 3, it also contains vitamins A and D, proteins, and other nutrients. When the body receives a whole package of these good things, it does what’s best for us and puts them to use. However, when omega 3 is taken in isolation, that doesn’t happen – your body won’t know how to process it properly and may even start storing extra calories as fat!
Therefore, it is always better to take small amounts of fish oil with food in order to get the most health benefits from eating fish. You will still be getting those vitamins A and D which are necessary for the conversion of excess carbohydrates into glycogen through their presence in salmon (salmon also has high amounts of vitamin B12, selenium, and other vitamins). Because you will not be taking omega 3 supplements on an empty stomach or right after a workout (when insulin sensitivity is high), your body will be able to properly use the omega 3 fatty acids, converting them into glycogen instead of storing them as fat! You will still receive all the same benefits as salmon would provide – just on a much larger scale.
That is why I recommend taking fish oil supplements with food containing protein and fiber such as nuts, olives, fruits, and whole grain bread. Protein eaten at the same time can help increase omega 3 absorption by 2 times! If you want to lose weight faster, it could also be helpful to take 25g whey protein immediately before eating carbs so that you won’t get hungry so soon afterwards!
Don’t forget that fat-soluble vitamins like A and D contained in salmon are important for liver health, so it’s best to take omega 3 supplements in moderation. Too much fish oil can lead to excessive vitamin A accumulation inside your body which can be unhealthy! Err on the safe side and always talk to a doctor before taking any medications or supplements.
So next time you see some advertisements telling you that marine algae extract is the best weight loss supplement there is – don’t believe them! Instead, go get yourself some delicious salmon and complement it with high quality omega 3 supplement like ours. You will not only lose weight faster, but also make sure that all those positive effects I mentioned above are at their fullest potential!