Saturday, June 8, 2013

Foods that Add Years to Your Life

Found in such surprising foods as flaxseed and spinach (not just salmon!), the uber-healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids called Omega 3s are especially good for your ticker, new research shows.


Walnuts

An excellent hunger-quenching afternoon snack, one ounce of walnuts delivers 2,600 milligrams of omega-3s, making it the highest nut source by a landslide. Eat them raw. Or, sprinkle chopped walnuts over cooked green beans or other veggie side dishes, and mix them into salads and soups.

Flaxseed

An ounce of flaxseed provides a whopping 1,800 milligrams of omega-3s. Its main omega-3 is alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, which your body converts into DHA and EPA. Add whole flaxseeds to salad for extra crunch, or stir ground flaxseeds into yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, or baked goods.

Scallops

These tasty shellfish boast a healthy 500 milligrams of omega-3s per four-ounce serving. Versatile and flavorful, they’re great seared, grilled, wrapped in bacon (although, easy on the bacon), in risotto, paella, and seafood-rich soups.

Sardines

As fish go, sardines nearly win the top omega-3 prize: four ounces contain 1,800 milligrams. They’re a great pizza topper (natch) but are also yummy in egg scrambles and frittatas, blended into pate, or chopped and molded into fish cakes.

Mackerel

Salmon gets the best omega-3 rap, but it turns out mackerel boasts more per serving (2,200 milligrams per four-ounce serving to salmon’s 1,700).  It’s a sturdy, fleshy fish that does great on the grill or barbecue.

Spinach

File it under “who knew?” Yes, spinach (as well as kale and collard greens) has about 100 milligrams of omega-3s per half-cup serving.

Tofu

This popular vegan protein choice also packs decent levels of omega-3s: A four-ounce serving has 300 milligrams. Swap it for meat in stir-fries, salads, and soups.

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