What is DHA, aka Omega 3? Why is it important? Who needs it? What foods are naturally rich in it? Are there alternative sources?
Here’s an excellent reading material about Omega 3s from the WebMD. The website is sponsored by lifesdha, a manufacturer of DHA supplements sourced from algae instead of fish, so expect a lot of promotional blurbs. Still, the information about the health benefits of DHA Omega 3 remain true.

I’ve been browsing an old nutrition magazine and came across a fairly new product in the market: Breyers’ Smart! Yogurt.

This yogurt has fruit on the bottom, all natural, lowfat and what sets is apart is that it is enhanced with DHA Omega-3 produced from algae, a natural, vegetarian source of DHA that is important not only for supporting brain functions, but also in eye and heart health.

If you’re pregnant, you should already know how important it is to include fatty fish in your diet. Here’s another report reinforcing that: Omega-3 Intake During Last Months Of Pregnancy Boosts An Infant’s Cognitive And Motor Development.
Apparently, babies’ visual acuity as well as their cognitive and motor development were closely linked to DHA concentration in the umbilical cord blood at the time of their birth. This emphasizes how important a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids is, particularly during the last trimester when the fetus undergoes crucial retinal and brain development.
“A diet rich in omega-3s during pregnancy can’t be …read more

Fish or fish oil supplements — which is a better source of omega-3 fatty acids? According to a recent study, it doesn’t matter: Fish is just as effective as pills as a source of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
At the end of the study period, Harris and co-workers report that the 11 women in the fish group showed a 4.0 per increase in the levels of EPA and DHA in the red blood cells, while their counterparts receiving the fish oil supplements showed a 4.3 per cent increase.
They also note that levels of the omega-3 …read more

Stumbled across an article highlighting the effect of diet and other prescription pills on alzheimer’s disease. Among the food items mentioned were coffee and omega-3 fatty acid — docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or fish oil, which I’ve also discussed previously here, here, and here.
The Science Daily article points to recent studies explaining how DHA may reduce risks of Alzheimer’s disease.
Image Credit: sofijab

Two reports in the May issue of Archives of Ophthalmology points to two dietary interventions that may reduce the risk of macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness among the elderly:
Higher intake of {omega}-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (DHA), as well as fish consumption, was associated with decreased likelihood of having neovascular AMD (advanced age-related macular degeneration).
Omega-3 fatty acids may influence processes involved in the development of blood vessel– and nerve-related diseases of the retina, the authors write. For instance, DHA may protect the retina by influencing which genes turn on and off, while fatty acids overall may eventually form …read more

We know that omega-3 fatty acids are good for the brain. We know that Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder. Connect the dots; wouldn’t it be logical to assume that omega-3 fatty acids may then help prevent or slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease?
That’s exactly what UC-Irvine scientists have proven scientifically:
DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, can slow the accumulation of tau, a protein that leads to the development of neurofibrillary tangles. Such tangles are one of two signature brain lesions of Alzheimer’s disease. DHA also was found to reduce levels of the protein beta amyloid, which can clump …read more

Should pregnant women eat fish or not? Previously, pregnant women have been warned against fish consumption due to the possibility of heavy metal poisoning, but a recent study published in The Lancet indicates that the advice to limit seafood consumption could actually be detrimental and that the benefits of fish in the maternal diet outweighs the risks. Women who ate more than 340 grams per week of fish or seafood (that’s 2 to 3 servings per week) had smarter children with better developmental skills.
Children whose mothers ate no seafood were 48 percent more likely to have a low verbal IQ …read more

Last week, we were able to consume the recommended 2 servings of fish a week. I had three, because I had to take care of the left-overs one time. Unwittingly, I was doing something to ease my black mood, possibly more than the piece of chocolate that served as my comfort food.
A new study published in the December 2006 issue of Nutrition & Dietetics has shown that the combination of a nutritious diet, daily fish oil supplements and/or three oily fish meals, like salmon, sardines or fresh tuna, a week can help alleviate depression symptoms. These findings come from a …read more

Although it has been suggested that the benefits of eating fish on cardiovascular health and mortality far outweighs the risks due to environmental pollutants, I suppose that is assuming one eats a variety of fish types. If you eat bluefin tuna this week and sardines next week, that’s better than always eating bluefin tuna, a type of fish you are advised to consume only one serving per month.
So how do you know which fish types to avoid, which ones are good for you, and how many servings can you safely eat of a certain type of fish or seafood?