Most people know they should cut back on saturated fat and trans fat. But they don’t realize they eat too much omega-6 and too little omega-3 fats.

An imbalance of these essential fats can lead to inflammation, joint problems, allergies, heart problems, impaired athletic performance and more. To compensate and bring these fats back into balance, consume omega-3s fats from flaxseed oil and cut back on foods that contain omega-6 fats like salad dressings, beef fat, processed foods, and safflower, sunflower and corn oils.

Flaxseed oil is one of the richest known sources of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a short chain omega-3 fatty acid. Your body can convert about 10% of this omega-3 to EPA and DHA.

While flaxseed oil is not a direct source of EPA and DHA like fish oil, many consider it more versatile. Its mild taste allows it to be used in many ways. Add it to protein shakes, mix it with vinegar for use as a salad dressing or eat it right from the spoon. Flaxseed oil is made from organic ground flax seeds and is typically 100% organic and vegetarian safe.

Experts recommend taking 1-2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil a day. One tablespoon provides about 7,000 mg of omega-3 (ALA), making it a quick and inexpensive way to add this essential fat to your diet.