Did you know that there is one Super Food for Golf that can help reduce those aches and pains, manage those emotional outburts, and improve your focus? And that is only a little of what it can do for you. Wanna guess what it is? Omega 3 fats!
The best omega-3's are found in fish. Fish have long been regarded as “brain food” because of their high content of omega-3 fatty acids.
The American Heart Association has long recommended that all Americans consume fish twice per week. They base this recommendation on evidence that says a diet high in fish is associated with improved heart health and reduced risk for heart-related problems.
Omega-3's have already been found to reduce inflammation, elevate and even emotions, lesson attention deficit disorders, and improve memory. Now a study cited in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition further confirms omega-3's as super food for golf.
They report, it was found, that omega-3's stand out as a food to not only improve your brains' performance but also to preserve your brain function as you age! You boomers especially have to appreciate that.
If that's not enough, it has long been shown to reduce allergies, improve pms, enhance eye and skin health too.
All of these attributes make Omega-3 oils Super Food for Golf!
Tips for Getting Your Omega 3's
Eat a good quality serving of fish twice per week.
Before you run out and buy your servings of fish, take a moment to look at this list. It was compiled by Oceans Alive, an Environmental Defense Oceans program that works to find constructive solutions to the most critical problems facing the world's marine environments. This list identifies the current best sources of fish for getting the best quality omega-3 fatty acids with the least environmental contaminents... and which are the most environmental friendly.
Tuck this current list of good fish in your travel bag or glove box. When shopping or eating out (as many competitive golfers tend to do) request one of the fish on this list:
Anchovies
Arctic char (farmed)
Catfish (U.S. farmed)
Caviar (U.S. farmed)
Clams (farmed)
Crab - Dungeness, snow (Canada), stone
Crawfish (U.S.)
Halibut - Pacific (Alaska)
Herring - Atlantic (U.S., Canada)
Mackerel - Atlantic
Mahimahi (U.S. Atlantic)
Mussels (farmed)
Oysters (farmed)
Sablefish/black cod (Alaska)
Salmon - wild (Alaska), canned pink/sockeye
Sardines
Scallops - bay (farmed)
Shrimp - northern (Canada), Oregon pink, U.S. farmed
Spot prawns
Striped bass (farmed)
Sturgeon (U.S. farmed)
Tilapia (U.S.)
The current list of fish to avoid includes because of toxins or environmental reasons:
Caviar (wild)
Chilean seabass/toothfish
Cod - Atlantic
Grouper
Halibut - Atlantic
Marlin
Monkfish/goosefish
Orange roughy
Rockfish/rock cod (Pacific)
Salmon - Atlantic (farmed)
Shark
Shrimp/prawns (imported)
Skate
Snapper
Sturgeon (wild)
Swordfish (imported)
Tilefish
Tuna - bluefin
(If you would like to learn more about how these fish are rated check out the OceansAlive website.)
Alternatives to Eating Fish
There are alternatives to eating fish for getting your omega-3's.
You can also get good omega-3's from other foods as well but the concentrations are much lower.
These include:
Flax oil or seeds
Walnuts (or walnut oil)
Pumpkin seeds
Grass fed beef
Eggs from cage free grazing hens
Try slipping these foods into your diet whenever possible.
And you can get your omega-3's from a good quality supplement. The challenge here is finding fish oil supplements that are:
Fresh (they spoil easily)
Free of contaminants and toxic metals (like mercury)
Portable enough to handle trips on the road without access to continuous refrigeration.
For quality & purity you cannot go wrong with Carlsons Fish Oils. The Lemon Flavored Carlsons is our players favorite (tastes like a lemon-drop!). Keep in mind you will want to keep it refrigerated.
For convenience some prefer a pill. Carlson's also makes a great fish oil capsule. Even with the capsules, you will want to keep them in a cool, dry place to prevent spoiling. We suggest that when you travel, you take only what you will need on the road.
We have added a links to some of our favorites below...including one for younger players who need the omega 3's but are opposed to even a mild fishy taste.
So there you have it, A Golf Superfood and great ways to get it.
