Omega-3 Fatty Acids Fact Sheet
One of the more popular recent health trends is the intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3’s are polyunsaturated fatty acids, which means they lower your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. However, most Americans don’t get enough Omega-3’s in their diet. Here’s a quick fact sheet about Omega-3’s to fill you in on what you’ve been missing!
· The best sources for omega-3 fatty acids are fish and fish oils, although leafy greens, nuts, and flaxseed also provide many of the same nutrients. The reason we don’t reap the benefits from omega-3’s is because the body can’t produce them on its own, which makes it very important that we load up on either fish or fish oil supplements.
· Fish oils help prevent heart disease, which is the leading cause of death amongst Americans. Not only does fish oil help lower blood pressure, but it also reduces levels of triglycerides, the fat found in blood that contributes to heart disease.
· As a pregnant woman, I’m fully aware of the harmful effects that high mercury levels can have on a child. However, fish oil supplements, which don’t contain mercury, have lead to higher IQ scores, better hand-eye coordination, and more positive social interaction in children. Avoid high mercury levels by either taking these supplements or only eating fish known to have low mercury contamination.
· According to studies performed by the National Institutes of Health, countries with higher seafood consumption (and therefore higher omega-3 consumption) have had lower rates of depression, suicide, and homicide, while countries with low seafood intake, particularly the US, have seen an increase in cases of depression.
This should be enough to bring you up to speed on what you’ve been missing, but for more quick facts about omega-3 fatty acids, click here.
Thank you for bringing attention to the importance of omega-3s, and the fact that most Americans don’t get nearly enough. As you mentioned, not all omega-3s are created equal. The type of omega-3s in fish, called DHA and EPA, are different than omega-3s from plant foods like flaxseed. DHA, specifically, is needed for brain development in the womb through at least age two.
While supplements are an option for moms who can’t get enough seafood, fish as a whole food has much more to offer…lean protein, B vitamins, vitamin D, and iron for example.
There are several recent studies that look at what happens when tens of thousands of moms ate fish as a whole food, traces of mercury and all, during pregnancy. The results show that babies of moms who eat the most seafood have the highest brain and eye test scores. Fish-rich moms have babies who meet milestones like forming their first words sooner than babies of fish-deficient moms. A chart of this new science is available here http://www.aboutseafood.com/sites/www.aboutseafood.com/files/share/Seafood_Studies.xls .
For a look at what plenty of seafood each week looks like in the real-life diet of a registered dietitian, please visit my blog at http://www.blogaboutseafood.com.
Sincerely,
Jennifer McGuire, MS, RD
National Fisheries Institute
jennifermcguire
May 5, 2009