Veganism is the practice of not eating meat products or animal-based products such as milk, eggs or cheese. Vegans are often thought to be the most health-conscious of the dietary lifestyle groups (omnivores, who eat both meat and vegetables, vegetarians, who forgo meat, lacto-vegetarians, who avoid milk products and meat, lacto-ovo-vegetarians, who have eliminated milk, eggs and meat, and vegans, who avoid all meat and all animal based products entirely in all aspects of their life).

Vegans themselves also tend to view themselves this way, largely because of the incredible devotion to dietary lifestyle that such a commitment entails. In fact, in a recent article on NaturalNews.com1, a columnist devoted an entire article to how to raise your baby as a vegan, including how to work in foods that will help keep your baby’s diet balanced, like flax seeds and green smoothies.

However, as is illustrated in this article, many vegans and those who are interested in becoming vegans overlook the fact that consuming all plant-based foods can leave some gaping holes in your nutrition. While any responsible, well-informed vegan knows that they need some dietary supplements to make their vegan lifestyle fully healthy, many people – including dietitians – overlook the fact that veganism is essentially begging for an omega 3 deficiency.

This is because vegan diets are usually pretty high in flax seeds and walnuts, which most vegans assume gives them an edge on omega 3 consumption.  Omega 3 is a fatty acid that is essential to nearly all of your body’s functions, but that your body cannot manufacture on its own.

However, studies have shown that the omega 3 in flax seeds may not even be usable by the human body, and unless you are eating several pounds of walnuts a day (which isn’t even all that good for you) then you are probably not getting enough omega 3 to impact brain function, immune system and even cancer prevention.

Truth be told, hardly anyone gets enough omega 3 in their natural diets, but vegans are more likely to overlook this potential deficiency because the common conception of a vegan diet is that of extreme dietary responsibility. A person who eats a more conventional diet is far more likely to be receptive to the idea that they may not be living a particularly healthy lifestyle than a vegan, who has devoted a great deal of time and energy to being “uber-healthy” in every aspect of their life.

Whether you are a vegan, a vegetarian or you just like to eat everything, you need to add an omega 3 supplement to your diet unless “everything” includes about two pounds of fatty fish oil like salmon a day! Find a supplement that is made from non-farmed salmon that are grown in the Arctic Circle to insure that your omega 3 source is entirely healthy, that its source (salmon) was happy in life and that the end result is uncontaminated, and look for a supplement endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American College of Toxicology.

To learn more about omega 3 benefits and where to find the best supplement for your dietary needs, visit www.omega-3.us.

 

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