Bruin Athletes: Get in your Daily Dose of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are an important part of a healthy diet. Neither can be made by the body, so they must be obtained from the foods that we consume. In order to achieve optimal health, it is important to have the proper ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. However, most Americans consume a much greater proportion of foods that are high in omega-6 fatty acids (from poultry, eggs, and most vegetable oils) than foods high in omega-3 fatty acids (from walnuts, salmon, and flax seeds).

The main function of omega-3 fatty acids is to reduce inflammation, making them even more important for athletes. As an athlete, you are constantly exercising and using repetitive motions, resulting in muscle tears, swelling, and inflammation. This is why you sometimes feel pain and soreness after a tough workout. Eating foods high in omega-3s will reduce these symptoms, helping you to recover faster and so that you can train harder. They will also help to prevent you from getting injured.

Remember that the heart is a muscle and consuming enough omega-3 fatty acids will help to reduce inflammation of the heart, allowing it to pump oxygen throughout your body more efficiently and therefore helping you to perform at your best! Another benefit of omega-3s is that they can help to prevent you from getting sick by boosting your immunity.
By now you should be convinced that eating plenty of omega-3 rich foods will benefit you as an athlete, here are some easy ways to incorporate them into your diet!

-Sprinkle ground flax seed or chia seeds into your cereal, yogurt, or smoothies (1-2 Tbsps)
-Eat a serving of walnuts every day (8 halves)
-Eat more salmon! You can buy canned salmon and incorporate it into a sandwich or on a salad (aim for 2x/week)
-Replace vegetable oil with olive oil
-Eat more soybeans, navy beans, or kidney beans (think handful portion). All are a great source of omega 3s!
-If you are considering a fish oil supplement, talk to Emily about the best one for you!


Getting plenty of omega-3s is just as important when you are in the off season as when you are in season. A diet rich in omega-3 will help to keep you healthy, prevent injuries, recover faster, and perform your best!

Fueling Bruins,
Maryann Boosalis
UCLA Sports Nutrition Intern

Bruin Performance Nutrition:Fueling Up Pre and Post Workout

As an athlete, you know the importance of having a nutritious snack before working out. Doing so allows you to have better concentration, more energy, and increased endurance. Having a healthy snack right after exercising is just as important because it helps to repair your muscles and replenish your glycogen stores. Try to eat within thirty minutes of working out because this is when your cells are able to absorb nutrients the most efficiently.
Our bodies have different nutrient needs before and after exercising, and it’s a good idea to keep this in mind when making snack choices. Pre-workout snacks should consist mostly of carbohydrates, since this is the macronutrient that provides the most readily available energy for our bodies. You want to make sure to stick with simple and easy to digest carbohydrates and avoid large meals or high fiber foods such as beans. If you are eating about an hour before exercising, adding a little protein can help as well because it will keep you from getting hungry during your workout. A snack consumed within half an hour or less of exercising should be kept simple, with easy to digest carbs such as applesauce. Try to avoid eating fat before working out since it will make you feel heavy and also causes stomach problems for some athletes. Some great pre-exercise snack choices include:
-Fruit smoothie
-Oatmeal with fruit
-Toast with a banana or one tablespoon of jelly
- Fruit salad
-Pita with hummus
-Rice
-An apple with string cheese

Your body requires more protein after you exercise than before, but you still need to get plenty of carbohydrates. Remember that the protein is necessary to repair your muscles and the carbohydrates are needed to refuel your glycogen stores. Try to avoid eating foods high in fat right after exercising because fat will slow the absorption of the carbohydrates and protein. One of the best post-exercise snacks is chocolate milk, which has plenty of protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins to keep you healthy and performing your best. Other excellent post-exercise snacks include:
-Low-fat Greek yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit
-Egg white omelet with whole wheat toast
-Low-sugar cereal or oatmeal with skim milk
-Brown rice bowl with vegetables and chicken or fish
- A sandwich with turkey, chicken, or tuna

Everyone is unique in the way that their body reacts to different foods. What’s important is to find simple and healthy foods that work for you. If you are going to experiment with different foods, it’s best to do so out of season. Never try a new breakfast the morning of a competition! One final reminder: never forget the importance of adequately hydrating before, during, and after exercise!
Fueling Bruins,
Maryann Boosalis
UCLA Sports Nutrition Intern