It’s not often these days you hear that men – or anyone for that matter – should eat more meat. But in some cases maybe we should. And this may be particularly important for men.
But before heading to the butcher to buy a huge steak, please read to the end.
Why eat more meat?
Some meats are very important to health because they contain a special type of fat called omega 3. This special omega 3 fat can only be sourced from food – from both animal and plant sources. But, for men, research shows that men must rely on the animal-sources (moreso than women) because they are not good at converting the omega 3 from plant-sources into the form that is needed for health.
What are omega 3 foods?
Omega 3 fats can be thought of as ‘sunshine’ foods and can be found in both plant and animal foods. The main plant foods are algae and plankton in the sea which ‘capture lots of sunshine’. The main animal foods are oily fish (e.g., salmon and sardines) being animals that eat the sun-capturing algae and plankton. Other green ‘sunshine capturing’ plant foods that are also high in omega 3 include flaxseeds, walnuts and chia seeds. Spinach and grass will have some too which means some land-based animal foods, such as beef, will also have some omega 3. But this may not be a great source as the amount of omega 3 is relatively low compared to seafood. Plus the cattle must have been predominantly grass fed to have accumulated the omega 3 fats from the grass. Identifying beef that has been grass fed from birth to slaughter is difficult as ‘grass fed’ labelling requirements can easily mislead.
Why is it important for men to eat omega 3 in your diet?
Omega 3 polyunsaturated fats are important to eat because your body cannot make them. The human body is incapable if putting the special double bonds into the carbon structure and the right position. This makes them ‘essential’ fats that we must get from eating food.
The science is clear that omega 3 is critical to overall good health as it deposits in the cell membrane surrounding every cell in the body and it is a potent anti-inflammatory.
For men, omega 3 is particularly important as it protects against heart disease (the main risk of death for men, young and old), it affects testosterone production, and it promotes muscle growth which becomes extremely important for men after the age of 40.
Regarding testosterone and muscle strength, a recent small study showed that increasing omega 3 (through supplements) enabled healthy young men doing a 10 week resistance training programme to double the gains in strength in bench-press and squat exercises compared to men not taking the omega 3 supplement! That is a significant finding (Heileson, 2023).
Why do men need omega 3 from animals?
There are different types of omega 3. There is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Of these, EPA and DHA appear to be the important ones for our health. EPA is renowned for its anti-inflammatory properties; DHA is renowned for its importance to brain health. ALA’s main benefit seems to be when the body converts it to DHA or EPA, but this conversion process is inefficient in humans. It is estimated that only 5% of ALA is converted to EPA/DHA.
For men, this conversion process is relatively inefficient. Men are not good at converting ALA to EPA and DHA. One study found that men convert only 0-8%, while women convert 9-21%. This means men may be better off eating meat or animal-sources of omega 3 than plant-sources, compared to women.
Studies of ALA metabolism in healthy young men indicated that approximately 8% of dietary ALA was converted to EPA and 0%-4% was converted to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In healthy young women, approximately 21% of dietary ALA was converted to EPA and 9% was converted to DHA (Burdge, 2002).
Which animal foods should I eat to get omega 3?
The best sources of omega 3 are from fish that have eaten algae or plankton that has then accumulated in their body. The acronym SMASH is useful for remembering which fish are the best: Salmon, Mackerel, Anchovies, Sardines and Herring. Fyi, tinned tuna is not a great source. Fresh tuna is better but, as tuna is a large fish, toxins may accumulate more in tuna.
Are you eating enough omega 3?
The great thing about omega 3 is that it is possible to test your levels and then do something about them. The omega 3 index reflects the percentage of omega 3 fats in the cell membrane surrounding your red blood cells. It reflects the omega 3 you have eaten (or taken through supplements) in the previous 3 months.
Most men eating a Western diet have an omega 3 index of around 4% to 6%. Cultures that eat more seafood tend to have around 7 or 8%. Current research suggests we should be aiming for a level of above 8%, and perhaps up to 12%, for the best health outcomes. Testing omega 3 using a simple at home test can be a great way to get motivated and have some accountability over how much omega 3 is in your diet.
Supplements will also provide omega 3 but like all things nutrition the application is nuanced. Quality, form, dosage, type, brand, genetics, taking it with or without food, are all relevant to how your diet and supplement regime is impacting your omega 3 index.
Conclusion
Men must be aware that plant-sources of omega 3 may not provide the goodies (EPA and DHA) that we need for good health. Men must eat oily ‘SMASH’ fish regularly (or take supplements in the right way) to get their omega 3.
This is a non-negotiable in nutrition. Omega 3 is essential to the body and the only way to get it is through food.
Get in touch if you are wondering what your omega 3 level is or if you think you would benefit from doing something about the omega 3. This is a relatively easy nutrition issue to solve, but it does take some thought to get it right.
Men should therefore eat more ‘oily fish’ meat. While ‘red meat’ meat that is grass fed may have some omega 3 benefit, I would recommend running to the fishmonger, not the butcher.
References
Burdge GC, Jones AE, Wootton SA. Eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic acids are the principal products of α-linolenic acid metabolism in young men. Br J Nutr. 2002;88(4):355-364.
Burdge GC, Wootton SA. Conversion of α-linolenic acid to eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in young women. Br J Nutr. 2002;88(4):411-420.
Heileson, J. L., Machek, S. B., Harris, D. R., Tomek, S., de Souza, L. C., Kieffer, A. J., Barringer, N. D., Gallucci, A., Forsse, J. S., & Funderburk, L. K. (2023). The effect of fish oil supplementation on resistance training-induced adaptations. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 20(1), 2174704. https://doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2023.2174704
von Schacky C. Omega-3 index and cardiovascular health. Nutrients. 2014;6(2):799-814.
Harris WS. The omega-3 index as a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;87(6):1997S-2002S.
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