International Omega-3 Learning and Education Consortium for Health and Medicine

Have you ever seen the movie When Harry Met Sally with Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan? My favorite food-related cinematic scene is from this movie. Prior to the famed "faking it" scene, Sally is ordering and quite particular about what she wants (on the side, warmed, etc ...). Restaurants have become more accommodating to special requests for food allergies and intolerances or general health. Sally may not have had anything to do with how restaurants and chefs accommodate "picky" eaters, but she did make us laugh about it. Food consumption away from the home is a common occurrence and since it is now part of everyday life rather than a special splurge, attempts to make healthier choices when dining out are important in order to consume a healthy total diet, maintain normal body weight and prevent disease.

Incorporation of healthier choices includes the limitation of saturated fat intake, sodium, added sugars and to include vegetables, fruits and lean protein. Seafood is an excellent source of lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids. A sneak peak of the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans was released earlier this month. This updated set of recommendations for the American public suggests consumption of two omega-3 fatty acid-rich servings of seafood per week (4 oz. cooked, edible seafood per serving). Plant derived omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), can also help to increase your total omega-3 fatty acid intake. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are the marine derived omega-3 fatty acids and have a wealth of health benefits, particularly for cardiovascular disease. Seafood choices with the highest n-3 PUFA content and lowest mercury levels include salmon, wild pacific or eastern oysters, and rainbow trout. These have greater than 500 mg of EPA and DHA per 3 oz serving. The lighter fish such as pollock, halibut, flounder or scallops contain less but still have approximately 300 mg of EPA and DHA per 3 oz serving ¹. Keep in mind that when dining out, seafood is often sparse or the fried variety from cod (not the best source of omega-3 fatty acids). The inclusion of ALA from oils or nuts can help boost your total omega-3 fatty acid intake.

Fast food is a reality of today's society. Recent attempts by the large franchises - think golden arches and have it your way - have made it easier to find healthy food choices, such as fruit instead of fries, we now just need to choose them. While fish fillets from major fast food franchises are all fried and should be consumed in moderation, some are better than others when it comes to omega-3 fatty acid content because of the fish species in the fillet. The choice to consume these sandwiches should also be balanced within your total diet. The fish fillet at McDonalds contains hoki and pollock and weighs in at 380 calories, has less saturated fat than the hamburgers, <0.5 g of trans fat and 640 mg sodium ². Hoki is on the green peace seafood red list though and I expect the amount of this fish in the fillet to phase out. Environmental pressures limit the use of hoki (on the green peace seafood red list) and since pollock is a decent source of omega-3 fatty acids, this is in our favor for both sustainability and cardiovascular benefits. The more pollock added to the fish fillet, the more omega-3 fatty acids. The "arch" rival, Burger King's fish fillet is made from pollock as well. While omega-3 content is not listed in the nutrition facts for these products, since BK's fillet is 100% pollock, it should also provide more omega-3 fatty acids. However, the BK fish fillet provides a whopping 640 calories and 1370 mg sodium, but there is still less saturated fat than a hamburger and only 0.5 g of trans fat ³. The bun alone on this sandwich was 250 calories. I also looked into the Wendy's fish fillet. Their source of fish is cod and delivers nil omega-3 fatty acids. The sandwich provides 500 calories, 4 g saturated fat, and 1010 mg sodium, and as most restaurant chains have rid themselves of trans fat, there is 0.5g trans fat in the fillet ⁴. Ordering these sandwiches like Sally would help to reduce the total calories and fat. You can request no sauces (mayonnaise or tartar sauce) to reduce saturated fat, total fat and calories. Of course, there is the side option, salad with a light dressing will provide some omega-3 fatty acids without adding the full fat and calories from a regular dressing. Soybean oil is a source of the omega-3 fatty acid, ALA, which is found in salad dressing; however, the hydrogenation process can deplete ALA content.

If you are not chauffering kids from school to practice and are actually eating at a restaurant, look for a seafood option, preferably grilled or baked rather than fried to increase your omega-3 fatty acid intake. If the seafood were baked, a Sally-like request would be to hold the butter. Quite often a baked seafood option will be swimming in butter, so by requesting the chef to omit the added butter, you can get your omega-3 fatty acids without spoiling your saturated fat intake and cutting out some extra calories. An easy way to add plant-derived omega-3 fatty acid sources to your meals away from home could be adding walnuts to a salad. If the walnuts are not listed in the salad you want but you see them in another offering, ask for some on the side and sprinkle a few on top. Be aware, however, to avoid candied nuts, as these have added sugars, fat and calories. Also remember to stick to a low fat salad dressing or just oil and vinegar. All the additions to a salad can really increase the caloric density, so if you ask for walnuts to be added, consider getting rid of another high fat topping such as bacon or ask for the cheese to be on the side and just sprinkle on a small amount.

In summary, do not hesitate to make your next dining out experience "your way" and customize your meal to make it healthier and have more omega-3 fatty acids. Sally never did.

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