Following the Polymeal Diet Without Eating Fish
If you’re allergic to fish, vegetarian or vegan, and you want all the health benefits of the Polymeal diet then you need to find another source of the omega-3 fatty acids that make fish so heart-healthy.
There are two types of omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fish oil. The first, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), is readily synthesized by your body by converting alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
ALA is found in flax seeds, so supplementing one’s diet with flax seed oil, or crushed flax seeds takes care of the EPA production. It’s worth mentioning that heating flax seeds destroys the omega-3s, so if you’re using the oil or the seeds in a hot food, it’s best to add them after. And you must crush the flax seeds. Your body can’t digest their hulls, and you’ll lose out of all the goodness inside if you don’t break them open first. Coffee grinders are fabulous for this task.
The second omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is more difficult. The body doesn’t synthesize DHA as easily, so supplementation is advised.
Fish is the primary and most readily available source of DHA. However, there are a couple of vegan-friendly brands of DHA supplements available:
