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You Ask, I Answer: Omega-3 Content of Seafood

Posted Nov 13 2009 10:00pm

shrimp [Your post on fish oils had me wondering] if anchovies, shrimp, crab, and clams were good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids.

– Corey Clark
(Location withheld)

Anchovies are a great source.  A 3-ounce serving delivers an impressive 1.2 grams of DHA and EPA (that’s total, not respectively).

( Reminder: DHA and EPA are two essential fatty acids predominantly found in fish; vegetarian sources like walnuts and flaxseed offer ALA, another type of omega-3 fatty acid).

Crustaceans and mollusks offer lower levels.

A 3-ounce serving of shrimp, for instance, averages 0.37 grams (that number could be slightly higher or lower depending on the specific variety of shrimp).  That same amount of crab averages 0.29 grams, while 3 ounces of clams average 0.1 grams.

Apart from the well-known salmon and tuna, here are other very good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids:

  • Bluefish
  • Dogfish
  • Herring
  • Lake trout
  • Mackerel (caution: very high in mercury!)
  • Sablefish

FYI: Catfish and tilapia not only offer very low amounts of Omega-3s, they are also quite high in Omega-6 fatty acids.

Although both Omega-3 and Omega-6 are essential (meaning we must get them from the diet), the typical US diet is very high in Omega 6s.  This imbalance promotes inflammation, which consequently raises one’s risk for a variety of diseases and conditions.

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