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.
Omega 3 fats are a form of polyunsaturated fats found naturally in several foods. There are three primary varieties of these fats: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Of the three varieties, DHA has been found to have beneficial effects on attention deficit disorder.
DHA or fatty acids have been shown to be lacking in childrens diets by researchers at the University of Purdue. The lack of DHA has been shown to cause attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity and behavior issues in children. Infants are also at risk because it has been shown that mothers are not getting enough DHA to pass on through their breast milk. Roughly 85% of US women are not getting enough DHA in their diets.
%NL% Favorably, there are many ways to get more of these useful fats into your system. The first way is to include foods in your diet which are rich in fats .Fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and tuna are rich in fats. Some other sources are walnuts and flaks. If you increase intake of any or all of these foods, you can overcome any deficiency in your diet.
If you do not wish to change your diet that drastically or do not like any of the above foods, supplements are available. To produce noticeable benefits, you can usually find these in the form of fish oil supplements which contain omega-3 fats. By taking supplements, you reap all the fish oil benefits without the taste or hassle of the DHA-rich foods.
Thousgh scientists and nutritionists know a great deal about the benefits of Omega 3 fats, the research is only begun. Still there are plenty of exciting new frontiers to be explored. Indeed, a new benefit of Omeg 3 fats comes to light every day. The most recent finding is about their effect on attention deficit disorder, a cause to celebrate
Fat is commonly assumed to be poor for your health, but Omega 3 (including Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) is an exception to this rule. DHA has demonstrated a beneficial effect for attention deficit disorder (ADD). Natural sources for DHA include salmon, tuna, anchovies, walnuts, herring, and mackerel. For those who do not want to alter their diet or do not like the aforementioned foods, supplements of DHA are also available in the form of fish oil supplements. Fish oil benefits include a beneficial effect to the children of breastfeeding mothers.
Published May 16th, 2007
Filed in Health












