Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats that have numerous health benefits.

However, not all omega-3s are created equal. Among 11 types, the 3 most important are ALA, EPA, and DHA.

ALA is mostly found in plants, while EPA and DHA are mostly found in animal foods like fatty fish.

This article takes a detailed look at the 3 most important types of omega-3s.

What are omega-3 fatty acids?

Omega-3s are a type of polyunsaturated fat. They’re deemed essential fatty acids because they’re necessary for health but cannot be made by your body.

Thus, you must get them from your diet.

Rather than being stored and used for energy, they play important roles in many bodily processes, including inflammation, heart health, and brain function.

Omega-3 deficiency is associated with lower intelligence, depression, heart disease, arthritis, cancer, and many other health problems.

ALA (alpha-linolenic acid)

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is the most common omega-3 fatty acid in your diet. It’s mostly found in plant foods and needs to be converted into EPA or DHA before it can be utilized by your body for something other than energy.

However, this conversion process is inefficient in humans. Only a small percentage of ALA is converted into EPA — and even less into DHA. When ALA is not converted to EPA or DHA, it is simply stored or used as energy like other fats.

Some observational studies link a diet rich in ALA to a reduced risk of death from heart disease, while others show an increased risk of prostate cancer. This increase in prostate cancer risk was not associated with the other main omega-3 types, EPA and DHA, which seem to protect against this cancer.

ALA is found in many plant foods, including kale, spinach, purslane, soybeans, walnuts, and many seeds, such as chia and flax. It also occurs in some animal fats. Some seed oils, such as flaxseed and rapeseed (canola) oil, are also high in ALA.

EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)

Your body uses eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to produce signaling molecules called eicosanoids, which play numerous physiological roles and reduce inflammation.

Chronic, low-level inflammation is known to drive several common diseases.

Various studies indicate that fish oil, which is high in EPA and DHA, may reduce symptoms of depression. Some evidence suggests that EPA is superior to DHA in this regard. One study in menopausal women noted that EPA reduced their number of hot flashes.

Both EPA and DHA are mostly found in seafood, including fatty fish and algae. For this reason, they are often called marine omega-3s. EPA concentrations are highest in herring, salmon, eel, shrimp, and sturgeon. Grass-fed animal products, such as dairy and meats, also contain some EPA.

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an important structural component of your skin and the retinas in your eyes. Fortifying baby formula with DHA leads to improved vision in infants. DHA is vital for brain development and function in childhood, as well as brain function in adults.

Early-life DHA deficiency is associated with problems later on, such as learning disabilities, ADHD, and aggressive hostility. A decrease in DHA in later life is also linked to impaired brain function and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. DHA may have positive effects on certain conditions, such as arthritis, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.

What’s more, it can boost heart health by reducing blood triglycerides and possibly your number of LDL (bad) cholesterol particles. As mentioned above, DHA is found in high amounts in seafood, including fatty  fish and algae. Grass-fed animal products also contain some DHA.

The best omega-3 fatty acid

The most important omega-3s are EPA and DHA. They’re mainly found in seafood, including fatty fish and algae, meat and dairy from grass-fed animals, and omega-3-enriched or pastured eggs.

If you don’t eat a lot of these foods, you may want to consider supplements.

Inflammation is the body’s way of fighting infections and healing.

However, in some situations, inflammation can get out of hand and last longer than necessary. This is called chronic inflammation, and studies have linked it to many diseases, including diabetes and cancer.

Diet plays a crucial role in your health. What you eat, including various herbs and spices, can affect inflammation in your body.

This article reviews the science behind 9 herbs and spices that may help fight inflammation.

It’s worth noting that many studies in this article talk about molecules called inflammatory markers. These indicate the presence of inflammation.

Thus, a herb that reduces inflammatory markers in the blood likely reduces inflammation.

Diet plays a crucial role in your health. What you eat, including various herbs and spices, can affect inflammation in your body.

This article reviews the science behind 9 herbs and spices that may help fight inflammation.

It’s worth noting that many studies in this article talk about molecules called inflammatory markers. These indicate the presence of inflammation.

Thus, a herb that reduces inflammatory markers in the blood likely reduces inflammation.

Ginger

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a delicious spice with a peppery yet sweet flavor. You can enjoy this spice in various ways, such as fresh, dried, or powdered.

Outside of ginger’s culinary uses, people have used it for thousands of years in traditional medicine to heal numerous conditions. These include colds, migraines, nausea, arthritis, and high blood pressure.

Ginger contains more than 100 active compounds, such as gingerol, shogaol, zingiberene, and zingerone, to name a few. These are likely responsible for its health effects, including helping reduce inflammation in the body.

An analysis of 16 studies in 1,010 participants found that taking 1,000–3,000 mg of ginger daily over 4–12 weeks significantly reduced markers of inflammation compared with a placebo. These markers included C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α).

Other research looked at the effects of taking 500–1,000 mg of ginger daily in people with osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition involving joint inflammation.

The studies found ginger may reduce inflammatory markers such as TNF-α and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), as well as reduce joint pain and increase joint mobility.

Ginger is also incredibly versatile and easy to incorporate into many dishes, such as stir-fries, stews, and salads.

Garlic

Garlic (Allium sativum) is a popular spice with a strong smell and taste. People have used it in traditional medicine for thousands of years to treat arthritis, coughs, constipation, infections, toothaches, and more.

Most of the  health benefit of garlic come from its sulfur compounds, such as allicin, diallyl disulfide, and S-allylcysteine, which appear to have anti-inflammatory properties.

An analysis of 17 high quality studies including over 830 participants and lasting 4–48 weeks found that people who took garlic supplements experienced significantly reduced blood levels of the inflammatory marker CRP.

However, aged garlic extract was more effective and reduced blood levels of both CRP and TNF-α.

Other studies have shown that garlic may help raise antioxidants in the body, such as glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), while regulating inflammation-promoting markers like interleukin 10 (IL-10) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB).

Garlic is versatile and easy to add to your dishes.

Turmeric

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a spice popular in Indian cuisine that people have used since ancient times.

It’s packed with over 300 active compounds. The main one is an antioxidant called curcumin, which has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Numerous studies have shown that curcumin can block the activation of NF-κB, a molecule that activates genes that promote inflammation.

An analysis of 15 high quality studies followed 1,223 people who took 112–4,000 mg of curcumin daily for periods of 3 days to 36 weeks. Taking curcumin significantly reduced inflammatory markers compared with taking a placebo. Markers included interleukin 6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and malondialdehyde (MDA).

Studies in people with osteoarthritis have found that taking curcumin supplements provided pain relief similar to that of the common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) ibuprofen and diclofenac.

Black pepper

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is known as the king of spices, as it’s popular worldwide. Traditionally, people used black pepper to treat certain health conditions, such as asthma, diarrhea, and many other gastric ailments.

Research suggests that black pepper and its main active compound piperine may play a role in reducing inflammation in the body.

In animals with arthritis, piperine helped reduce joint swelling and inflammation markers, such as IL-1β, TNF-α, and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE2).

In both mice with asthma and seasonal allergies, piperine helped reduce redness, the frequency of sneezing, various inflammatory markers like IL-6 and IL-1β, as well as the antibody immunoglobulin E (IgE).

However, limited human research has been conducted on the anti-inflammatory properties of black pepper. Scientists need to do more research to explore its effects.

Black pepper is widely available and easy to add to your diet. Try seasoning your cooking with a dash of ground black pepper. It pairs nicely with veggies, meat, fish, poultry, and pasta dishes.

Green tea

Green tea (Camellia sinensis L.) is a popular herbal tea that people often tout for its health benefits.

This plant is packed with healthy compounds called polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Studies have linked these compounds to benefits for the brain and heart. They may also help people lose body fat and reduce inflammation.

Animal and test-tube studies have shown that EGCG helped reduce signs of inflammation associated with the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

One study followed people with ulcerative colitis who did not respond well to conventional treatments. Taking an EGCG-based supplement daily for 56 days improved symptoms by 58%, compared with no improvement in the placebo group.

Green tea polyphenols also appear to be beneficial for inflammatory health conditions, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, gum diseases, and even certain cancers.

Green tea leaves are widely available and easy to brew into a delicious tea. Alternatively, you could also try purchasing matcha powder or green tea extract supplements.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a delicious spice made from the barks of trees from the Cinnamomum family.

The two main types of cinnamon are Ceylon cinnamon, also called “true” cinnamon, and Cassia cinnamon, which is the most commonly available type. People have prized cinnamon for its health properties for thousands of years.

An analysis of 12 studies in over 690 participants found that taking 1,500–4,000 mg of cinnamon daily for 10–110 days significantly reduced the inflammatory markers CRP and MDA, compared with a placebo. Also, cinnamon raised the body’s antioxidant levels.

Interestingly, the analysis found that only Cassia cinnamon, the more common variety of cinnamon, reduced both CRP and MDA levels. Ceylon cinnamon only reduced MDA levels.

Similarly, an analysis of 6 studies in 285 people found that taking 1,200–3,000 mg of cinnamon daily for 8–24 weeks significantly reduced CRP levels.

This effect was especially apparent in conditions in which CRP levels were high, such as NAFLD, type 2 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Notably, while cinnamon is safe in small amounts, too much cinnamon can be dangerous. Cinnamon, especially the more common Cassia variety, has high levels of coumarin. This compound has been linked to liver damage when people consume too much of it.

Cinnamon’s tolerable daily intake is 0.05 mg per pound (0.1 mg per kg) of body weight. One teaspoon (2.5 grams) of Cassia cinnamon contains 7–18 mg of coumarin.

This means the average adult should consume no more than 1 teaspoon (2.5 grams) of cinnamon per day.

It’s best to season with cinnamon sparingly to avoid its side effects.