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

Monday, May 13, 2013

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

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Featured Recipe

Power Packed Vegetables with Roasted Almonds

Ingredients:
1 small red bell pepper
1 small orange or yellow bell pepper
1 head bok choy
1/4 c sliced almonds
3 tsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp lemon juice

Directions:
Trim bell peppers, remove seeds, and slice thinly. Trim both ends of bok choy, slice thinly and place in a large bowl of cold water for a few minutes to remove any grit. Remove by handfuls adn immerse again in a fresh bowl of cold water. Drain in a colander.

Preheat oven to 350F. Place almonds on a baking sheet and roast fro 10 minutes, tossing once or twice. Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large saute pan or wok. Add pepper and saute on medium high heat for 3 minutes. Stir in garlic adn continue to saute for 3 more minutes. Remove and set aside in a medium sized bowl.

Heat remaining 1 tsp olive oil in pan. Add washed bok choy and saute for a minute. Add lemon juice and cover pan, letting bok choy wilt. Return peppers to pan, add roasted almonds and stir gently before serving.

Nutritional analysis:
73 calories; 4.6g fat; 0.5g saturated fat; 2.9g monounsaturated fat; 0.8g polyunsaturated fat; 3g protein; 0mg cholesterol; 7g carbohydrates; 2g fiber; 1.5mg Vitamin E.