After a heart scare in 2024, I had to take a long, hard look at my health. With heart issues and dementia already a known factor in my family, looking after my heart and brain health has become a conscious effort. That’s why I’ve taken a closer look at omega-3s and how to easily fit them into my diet (and potentially yours).
Omega-3s are healthy fats that help support your heart, brain, and even your mood. There are three main types: ALA (found in plant foods like seeds and nuts), and EPA and DHA (mostly found in fatty fish). EPA and DHA are especially important for brain function and heart health, and while your body can convert some ALA into these other forms, it doesn’t do it very well, so it’s useful to get all three types through food.
In this article, I’m sharing seven simple ways I’ve added more omega-3s to my meals. Most of them are small changes, easy to fit into daily life, even on busy days.
1. Include fatty fish
If you like the taste of fish and your diet allows for it, adding more omega-3s to your diet can be easy. Fatty fish like mackerel, sardines, tuna, anchovies, and herring are all packed with omega-3s, which, as mentioned above, support heart and brain health.
I’ve made it a habit to eat mackerel on toast with spinach a few times a week. It’s quick, simple, and doesn’t cost much. Canned tuna is another go-to for me. I often have it in a sandwich, which fits right into my daily routine.
You can also toss fish like sardines or anchovies into salads, on top of a baked potato, or add them to pasta or pizza. A little bit of anchovy adds a lot of flavor and offers a good boost of omega-3.
The only downside is that in some scenarios, it might not be as quick or convenient to add to your diet as you hoped. For example, it takes around 10 minutes to grill mackerel. The main thing is to add these fish to meals you already like. That way, it doesn’t feel like a change of diet.
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2. Add flaxseeds, chia seeds, or pumpkin seeds to breakfast foods
Certain seeds are a great way to get plant-based omega-3s, specifically ALA, which stands for alpha-linolenic acid. ALA is one of the three main types of omega-3s. While your body isn’t great at turning ALA into the other two types (EPA and DHA), it still plays an important role in overall heart and brain health.
I often snack on pumpkin seeds as part of a trail mix with nuts, and lately, chia seeds have become a regular in our house. That’s thanks to my wife, who makes chia puddings using Greek yogurt (the image above). It takes a bit of prep, but it’s a solid way to include chia seeds without even thinking about it.
Since my health scare, I’ve heard several nutritionists recommend adding these seeds to healthy breakfast foods like porridge or oatmeal. I prefer fruit with my oatmeal or porridge, but if you already like crunchy cereals or hot oats, it’s easy to throw in some chia or pumpkin seeds. They don’t have much taste, and if your breakfast already has a bit of crunch, you’ll barely notice them.
As for flaxseeds, I’ve never used them myself, so I can’t comment on taste or texture. But research shows they’re another solid source of ALA and can be sprinkled on the same kinds of meals, like porridge, yogurt, or even in smoothies or baked goods.
3. Use walnuts as toppings (or just have them as a snack)
Walnuts are one of the best plant-based sources of ALA omega-3s. You don’t need a lot, just around 10 halves a day can give your body a healthy boost. If you’re also getting omega-3s from other sources, like fish or seeds, you may need even less.
I make a small trail mix every morning with a mix of nuts and seeds. It takes me less than a minute, just grab a few from different bags and toss them into a bowl. Walnuts are always part of that mix. It’s a super-easy way to support your health via diet.
Walnuts also work well as a topping. You can chop them up and sprinkle them over salads, grain bowls, or even roasted veg. They add a nice crunch without much effort. I’ve also used them for crunch when eating fruit and Greek yogurt, or on porridge.
However you include them, adding a few walnuts to your day is probably the simplest, no-fuss way to get a plant-based omega-3 into your diet.
4. Swap cooking oils for canola oil
Not many people realize that some cooking oils can help boost your omega-3 intake, especially canola oil. This is a plant-based oil and contains ALA omega-3s. It’s also much cheaper than olive oil, which can get ridiculously pricey.
In our house, we often go for canola oil because it’s usually the more affordable option where we shop. It’s also lower in saturated fat and higher in the good unsaturated fats, which matters to me since I’m keeping a close eye on heart health these days.
You can use this oil for salad dressings, light sautéing, or anywhere you’d usually use olive or vegetable oil. To be honest, I can’t tell the difference in taste between oils when cooking or making a dressing. But swapping to canola oil is a simple change that adds omega-3 to your diet without any extra work, other than grabbing a different bottle off the shelf next time you’re shopping.
5. Mix hemp seeds into baked goods or sprinkle on toast
Hemp seeds are another solid source of ALA omega-3s, and they’re surprisingly easy to add to your meals. I’ve kept them separate from the other seeds above, as you can mix them into bread dough or muffins, so they offer another unique way to add to your diet (if you’re into baking).
I’ll be honest, I’ve always been reluctant to add hemp seeds to my diet. I’ve only picked up a bag to test purely for this article. I’ve added them a few times now to a recipe I cook weekly that includes avocado and onion on crunchy toast (image above). Honestly, I barely noticed them, just a slight crunch, no real flavor.
I’ve also mixed them into my daily trail mix, and again, they don’t stand out in terms of taste. That’s not a bad thing, though. For this article, that’s not a bad thing as it makes them easy to include without changing the flavor of your food.
My wife’s planning to bake some muffins with hemp seeds soon, so we’ll see if they stand out more in that kind of recipe. But from what I’ve seen so far, they work a lot like walnuts, just sprinkle a few on your food and you’ve added another source of omega-3 without any fuss.
6. Incorporate kidney beans into salads or chilis
Kidney beans aren’t as high in omega-3s as seeds or fatty fish, but they do contain a small amount of ALA. If you’re getting omega-3s from a few different foods, this is another easy way to add to the total without much effort.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t know kidney beans had any omega-3s until I started looking into it. That said, I’ve been using them in chili for years, long before my heart issues in 2024. I make different types of chili every week (it’s my favorite dish), sometimes with bacon and beef, sometimes using a five-bean recipe, but kidney beans are always part of the dish. They bulk it out, absorb loads of flavor, and just work.
I’ve tried kidney beans in salads and curries too. In salads, they don’t bring much in terms of taste, as they need to be cooked with something to shine. But they’re dead easy to use. I just drain a can and throw them in. They’re also cheap, which helps if you’re cooking in bulk.
So if chili is something you already enjoy, you’re likely getting a little omega-3 from kidney beans without even thinking about it.
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7. Enjoy dark leafy greens in salads or smoothies
Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale have many health benefits, and yes, they also contain a small amount of ALA omega-3. It’s not a lot, but like with kidney beans, if you’re getting omega-3s from a few different sources during the day, every bit helps.
Since my health scare, spinach has become one of my go-to ingredients. I use it in sandwiches, curries, as a side, and more. What I love about spinach is how easy it is to add to just about anything. Making a salad? Throw in a handful. Blending a smoothie? Add some leaves. It’s mild in taste, blends well, and best of all, it’s very affordable.
Now kale also has benefits, including a bit of omega-3, but I can’t stand the taste of it, so it doesn’t make it into my meals. Still, for those who like it, it’s another way to sneak in a little extra nutrition.
Adding more omega-3s to your diet doesn’t have to be complicated; it’s often just about making small swaps or additions to meals you already enjoy. Whether it’s fish, seeds, nuts, or greens, every bit counts toward supporting your heart and brain health.