Eating fish and seafood may lower risk of heart attack and stroke because they are high in omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapantaenoic  acid, or EPA and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA) and low in saturated fat. Two 4-ounce servings of oily fish per week are recommended as a way to consumer a daily dose of 250 to 500 milligrams of EPA and DHA. If you have heart failure, a daily dose of 2,000 milligrams of EPA and DHA may be helpful to you.

Food sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids (from both plants and fish/seafood) include:

Sources of ALA (alphalinolenic acid) From Plants:

• Ground flaxseed and flax oil
• Pumpkin seeds and chia seeds
• Walnuts and walnut oil
• Soybean and canola oil

Fish and Seafood High in EPA and DHA:

• Salmon
• Pacific oysters
• Tuna
• Trout
• Mackerel (not King)
• Herring
• Sardines
• Anchovies

Choose fish and seafood low in sodium (salt) such as canned tune, canned salmon and anchovies.

Tips for Adding Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Your Meal Plan

Eat 4 ounces of grilled, baked, broiled or sautéed fish at least twice each week.

• To limit calories, avoid deep-fried fish.
• To limit mercury intake, avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish (golden bass), orange roughy and big-eye tuna. It is especially important that women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant and breastfeeding women avoid these fish.
• Select oils that provide omega-3 fat, such as canola oil and soybean oil.
• Add flaxseed oil to foods, as it is very high in omega-3 fat. If you use flaxseed, be sure it is ground. Your body cannot digest the beneficial fat if you eat whole flaxseeds.
• Eat walnuts. Walnuts provide much more alpha-linolenic acid than any other nut, Try walnut oil in salad dressings.
• Try new ways to cook fish. Try poaching it in an orange juice and herb mixture, or bake fish with vegetables wrapped in foil. Be careful when cooking fish -- it cooks quickly.
• Read the labels on egg cartons and choose eggs that are high in omega-3 fatty acids. These eggs have more omega-3 fats than regular eggs because the chickens that lay the eggs are fed omega-3-fortified feed. Keep in mind that egg yolks contain cholesterol, so limiting your egg consumption is important.
• Avoid deep-fried fish to limit calories.

How Much Omega-3 Fatty Acid (EPA & DHA) Is in Fish and Seafood?

Fish Oil Supplements

To reduce high triglycerides in your blood, you may need a daily supplement that providers two to four grams of EPA/DHA. Use of supplements to lower triglycerides should be done under the supervision of a qualified clinician.

Sources

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics