Omega 3 Is A Necessary Fat
It is most likely that you have heard much about health benefits of Omega 3 fats if you have followed nutrition and health news. Though fats are generally considered unhealthy, Omega 3 fats are an exception. These compounds have been known to have positive effects on the rate of heart disease, high cholesterol levels, dementia, and even arthritis. Now scientists have added a new dimention by proving its efficacy in attention deficit disorder to this list.
Polyunsaturated fats found naturally in several foods are classified as Omega 3 fats. there are three categories of these fats: alpha-linolenic acid(ALA), Eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Among the three varieties, DHA is found to have beneficial effects on attention deficit disorder.
Researchers at the University of Purdue found that children whose diets lacked sufficient quantities of DHA were more likely to show the classic symptoms of attention deficit disorder, including hyperactivity and behavior issues. Infants, too, are at risk, because DHA is transmitted through breast milk, and many mothers are not getting enough DHA to pass on to their children through lactation. In fact, about 85% of American women are deficient in these fatty acids.
Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to include more of these healthy fats into your diet. One way is to add foods to your diet that are rich in these nutrients, including fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and tuna. Non-fish sources include flax and walnuts. If you have deficiencies in this area of your diet, increasing your intake of any or all of these foods will help.
If you don't like any of the above foods, or simply do not wish to change your diet that drastically, supplements are also available. These are usually in the form of fish oil supplements and contain enough omega 3 fats to produce noticeable benefits. With supplements, you can receive all the fish oil benefits of DHA-rich foods without any of the taste or hassle.
The research into omega 3 fats is in the nascent stage however already a lot of information about the benefits of omega 3 fat is available with scientists and nutritionists. There are many new and exciting frontiers to be explored about the benefits of omega 3 fats. With the help of the researchers and the research done new benefits are being discovered every day.
Fat in the diet is generally considered bad for health but omega 3 has health benefits. This polyunsaturated fat comes in several foods naturally. The DHA or fatty acids derived from it have been shown to be lacking in childrens' diets by researchers at the University of Purdue. Supplements are a way to get more of these useful fats into your system. These are usually in the form of fish oil supplements and contain enough useful fats to produce noticeable benefits. you can receive all the fish oil benefits of DHA-rich foods without any of the taste or hassle.
Published May 16th, 2007
