Key TakeawaysAlmost half of all Americans have heart disease.While there are some risk factors for heart disease you can’t change, the foods you eat can have an effect on your health—including your heart.A new study has shown that plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, found in foods like walnuts and flax seeds, may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and fatal coronary heart disease.

Key Takeaways

Almost half of all Americans have heart disease.While there are some risk factors for heart disease you can’t change, the foods you eat can have an effect on your health—including your heart.A new study has shown that plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, found in foods like walnuts and flax seeds, may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and fatal coronary heart disease.

According to the American Heart Association, around 50% of Americanshave heart disease.Cardiovascular disease increases your risk for heart attack and stroke.

While developing heart disease is partly related to factors that are out of your control (likefamily history), certain dietary and lifestyle choices can have a profound impact on your health.

What Are Plant-Based Omega-3 Fatty Acids?

Omega-3 fatty acids have been getting a lot of attention in the nutrition world—and for good reason. This group of so-called “healthy fats” is often noted for its many health benefits, including loweringlevels of inflammation.

There are three main omega-3 fatty acids. Each one has a different chemical composition.

Eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA) anddocosahexaenoic acid(DHA) omega-3 fatty acids are found primarily in marine sources like fish, shellfish, and certain algae. DHA has been shown to play an important role in heart health, brain health, vision health, and healthy pregnancies.

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Alpha-linolenic acid(ALA) comes from plant-based foods, like walnuts and flax seeds. However, the nature of ALA’s role in our health is a little more mysterious than the roles of EPA and DHA.

Wendy Bazilian, DrPH, RDN, owner of Bazilian’s Health in San Diego, told Verywell that while ALA does convert to EPA to DHA, “the relative amount/percentage is a subject of debate among scientists” or that “we may not have the best way to measure or assess” ALA.

Previous research has shown that marine-sourced EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids have heart-health benefits, but the new study suggested that ALA may offer important cardiovascular health benefits, too.

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Plant-Based Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Heart Health

Bazilian says that over the past few decades, physicians have paid more attention to the role of omega-3.

“Much attention has been focused on omega-3s as a category of marine sources, specifically,” she said.

The researchers behind the new study took a closer look at what studies in recent years have shown about plant-based ALA and its role in our health.

What Did the Researchers Look At?

To find out whether plant-based omega-3 ALA can be seen as a nutrient that supports heart health, the researchers looked at epidemiological studies, randomized clinical trials, and meta-analyses on dietary ALA and heart disease that were done over the last eight years.

The researchers specifically looked for relationships between ALA andmetabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cognition.

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What Did They Find?

Epidemiological studies and randomized controlled trials showed an overwhelming benefit to including food sources high in ALA in an overall heart-healthy eating pattern.

Aleix Sala-VilaIn contrast to what has long been thought, omega-3 fatty acids of vegetable and marine origin do not compete.

Aleix Sala-Vila

In contrast to what has long been thought, omega-3 fatty acids of vegetable and marine origin do not compete.

Specifically, the researchers noted that consuming foods with omega-3 ALA was associated with a 10% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 20% lower risk offatal coronary heart disease.

The randomized controlled trials showed that dietary ALA reducedtotal cholesterol,LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, andblood pressure. Some data also demonstrated theanti-inflammatory effectof ALA.

The evidence for ALA’s benefits for metabolic syndrome and obesity was not as clear, according to the researchers. They also did not find clear evidence of the benefits of ALA on cognition, but they said that the early evidence is promising.

How Much ALA Do I Need?The researchers felt that the evidence supports the current dietary intake guidance for ALA, which is 1.1 grams per day for women and 1.6 grams per day for men.

How Much ALA Do I Need?

The researchers felt that the evidence supports the current dietary intake guidance for ALA, which is 1.1 grams per day for women and 1.6 grams per day for men.

“In contrast to what has long been thought, omega-3 fatty acids of vegetable and marine origin do not compete,” lead study author Aleix Sala-Vila, PhD, an associate scientist at the Fatty Acid Research Institute and a research fellow at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute in Barcelona, told Verywell. “In some observational studies it has been found that the two types of omega-3 might act in a complementary—perhaps synergistic—way.”

Sala-Vila said that even if someone eats a couple of servings of fish per week, they may benefit from including ALA-rich foods in their diets, too.

Getting More Omega-3 ALA in Your Diet

One way to get more omega-3 ALA in your diet is to focus on plant-based foods that contain these important fats.

Walnutsare the only nut that is an excellent source of ALA (2.5 g/1 oz). A handful of walnuts is a quick and tasty way to meet your daily ALA recommendations.

A study published inBMJshowed that the amount of ALA found in a handful of walnuts might be enough to help reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease.

Chia seeds, flax seeds, andcanola oilare also good sources of ALA.

Add More ALA to Your DaySprinkle chia seeds in a smoothieAdd ground flax seeds to your oatmealTop your salad with sliced avocadoSnack on a handful of walnuts or add them to a yogurt parfait

Add More ALA to Your Day

Sprinkle chia seeds in a smoothieAdd ground flax seeds to your oatmealTop your salad with sliced avocadoSnack on a handful of walnuts or add them to a yogurt parfait

“The evolving and growing research is showing that increasing plant-based omega-3 fats play an important role in cardiovascular health,” Bazilian said. “Including decreased all-cause mortality and mortality from heart disease, has anti-inflammatory properties, and has a promising—though still not fully understood—role in supporting cognitive and brain health.”

Bazilian said that all of the evidence is coming together and “building to make a strong case for the important role this essential fat has in promoting health.”

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6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tsao CW, Aday AW, Almarzooq ZI, et al.Heart disease and stroke statistics—2022 update: a report from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2022;145(8):e153-e639. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001052Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke — a public health issue.Sala-Vila A, Fleming J, Kris-Etherton P, Ros E.Impact of alpha-linolenic acid, the vegetable omega-3 fatty acid, on cardiovascular disease and cognition.Adv Nutr. Published online February 16, 2022. doi:10.1093/advances/nmac016Swanson D, Block R, Mousa SA.Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA: health benefits throughout life.Adv Nutr. 2012;3(1):1-7. doi:10.3945/an.111.000893National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Omega-3 fatty acids: fact sheet for health professionals.Naghshi S, Aune D, Beyene J, Mobarak S, Asadi M, Sadeghi O.Dietary intake and biomarkers of alpha linolenic acid and risk of all cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies.BMJ. 2021 Oct 13;375:n2213. doi:10.1136/bmj.n2213

6 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tsao CW, Aday AW, Almarzooq ZI, et al.Heart disease and stroke statistics—2022 update: a report from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2022;145(8):e153-e639. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001052Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke — a public health issue.Sala-Vila A, Fleming J, Kris-Etherton P, Ros E.Impact of alpha-linolenic acid, the vegetable omega-3 fatty acid, on cardiovascular disease and cognition.Adv Nutr. Published online February 16, 2022. doi:10.1093/advances/nmac016Swanson D, Block R, Mousa SA.Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA: health benefits throughout life.Adv Nutr. 2012;3(1):1-7. doi:10.3945/an.111.000893National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Omega-3 fatty acids: fact sheet for health professionals.Naghshi S, Aune D, Beyene J, Mobarak S, Asadi M, Sadeghi O.Dietary intake and biomarkers of alpha linolenic acid and risk of all cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies.BMJ. 2021 Oct 13;375:n2213. doi:10.1136/bmj.n2213

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Tsao CW, Aday AW, Almarzooq ZI, et al.Heart disease and stroke statistics—2022 update: a report from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2022;145(8):e153-e639. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001052Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke — a public health issue.Sala-Vila A, Fleming J, Kris-Etherton P, Ros E.Impact of alpha-linolenic acid, the vegetable omega-3 fatty acid, on cardiovascular disease and cognition.Adv Nutr. Published online February 16, 2022. doi:10.1093/advances/nmac016Swanson D, Block R, Mousa SA.Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA: health benefits throughout life.Adv Nutr. 2012;3(1):1-7. doi:10.3945/an.111.000893National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Omega-3 fatty acids: fact sheet for health professionals.Naghshi S, Aune D, Beyene J, Mobarak S, Asadi M, Sadeghi O.Dietary intake and biomarkers of alpha linolenic acid and risk of all cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies.BMJ. 2021 Oct 13;375:n2213. doi:10.1136/bmj.n2213

Tsao CW, Aday AW, Almarzooq ZI, et al.Heart disease and stroke statistics—2022 update: a report from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2022;145(8):e153-e639. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001052

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke — a public health issue.

Sala-Vila A, Fleming J, Kris-Etherton P, Ros E.Impact of alpha-linolenic acid, the vegetable omega-3 fatty acid, on cardiovascular disease and cognition.Adv Nutr. Published online February 16, 2022. doi:10.1093/advances/nmac016

Swanson D, Block R, Mousa SA.Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA: health benefits throughout life.Adv Nutr. 2012;3(1):1-7. doi:10.3945/an.111.000893

National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Omega-3 fatty acids: fact sheet for health professionals.

Naghshi S, Aune D, Beyene J, Mobarak S, Asadi M, Sadeghi O.Dietary intake and biomarkers of alpha linolenic acid and risk of all cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies.BMJ. 2021 Oct 13;375:n2213. doi:10.1136/bmj.n2213

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