Omega 3: Preventing Attention Deficit Disorder
Fat in the diet is generally considered bad for health but omega 3 is an exception in that it has health benefits! The nutrition and health news has suggested that this compound is beneficial on the rate of heart disease, high cholesterol level, dementia, and even arthritis. Fresh research has also added 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.
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.
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 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.
- Michael Byrd
