Hi everyone this is Monica Reinagel and you're listening to the nutrition

Diva podcast we're talking about omega-3s today and whether omega-3 fortified foods like eggs and peanut butter are a good

alternative to fish. Adele writes, my husband is allergic to fish so he buys omega-3 eggs instead. Do you get the same benefits from

eating omega-3 eggs as you would from eating fish? You've probably seen omega-3

enriched eggs at the grocery store and perhaps you've wondered how they get the

omega-3 in the eggs. Well it's actually a pretty low-tech method. They feed the hens flaxseed

which is high in omega-3 fatty acids.

And just like you and me, hens that take in more omega-3s end up with more of these fatty acids in their tissues,

and that applies to their eggs as well.

In terms of protein, both fish and eggs are high quality protein sources,

although you'd have to eat about three eggs to get the same amount of protein as in a three ounce serving of salmon.

In terms of omega-3 fatty acids, there are two things to keep in mind.

One is how much omega-3 you're actually getting. The amount of

omega-3 in an enriched egg varies considerably from around a hundred to as much as

500 milligrams per egg, but the most popular brand of omega-3 eggs

claims just 125 milligrams of omega-3 per egg. By comparison, a four ounce serving of salmon or just one

tablespoon of flaxseed is going to give you six or seven times as much omega-3

as a serving of omega-3 eggs and I'm considering two large eggs to be a serving.

Of course not all fish is quite as rich in omega 3 as salmon is.

Generally the oilier ocean fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines tend to be higher in

omega 3, while the milder fish and shellfish are lower. A serving of grouper, flounder, or perch, for example, will have about as much

omega-3 as you'd get from a couple of omega-3 eggs. Shrimp, tilapia, and crab are even lower

...