Sherry: When it comes to making healthy food choices, Canada’s Boomers have come a long way. A recent survey by Lejay Marketing reveals a more than three quarters of Boomers say they actively read the nutrition packs panel as compared to five years ago. When ask to choose what nutrition information is most important to them, two thirds mention fat most often. This is followed by sodium, calories and cholesterol. Vicky Riley Keyes, 55, is one such Boomer.
Vicky: I’m very careful about what I eat. I exercise three times a week with my girlfriend. And when I go grocery shopping, I always check the food labels, the saturated fat and sodium content.
Sherry: But for a demographic so concerned about fats, this survey also shows that not only all Boomers understand the benefits of healthy fats like Omega 3.
Maria: It’s pretty clear that when it comes to reading labels, Canadian Boomers are focusing on fats. Most are aware that saturated fats should be limited and trans-fats should be avoided. The problem is that many are not aware that Omega 3 fats should be sought out.
Sherry: Omega 3 fats are the type of poly and saturated fat. Canada’s food guide recommends proactively including a small amount of unsaturated fat each day. But according to Lejay, less than one third of Boomers are able to identify the three main types of Omega 3 poly unsaturated fats, ALA, DHA, and EPA. Emerging research demonstrates that healthy diet containing DHA and EPA can help contribute to heart health.
Maria: The great news is, adding Omega 3 fats to your diet is simple and delicious. You can start by looking for products that are enriched with Omega 3 fats. Products like soft none hydrogenated margarine. Like base cells Omega 3 plus margarine. Omega 3 enriched eggs and dairy products. Including fatty fish in your diet more often is also important. So things like salmon, rainbow trout, mackerel, another option is adding ground flaxy to your morning cereal, or small handful of walnuts in a salad at lunch. The benefits are clear for adding Omega 3 fats to your diet. Each has different but important health benefits, so it’s important for Canadians to include all three types of Omega 3 fats in their diet each day.
Sherry: Additional information on Omega 3’s can also be found online on loveyourheart.ca. Sherry Dematargo, reporting.
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