Brain Food for Children

New research on Fish Oil supplements reveals they possitively effect the itellengence of children

(PRWEB) July 11, 2004 -- Fish oil has been lauded for years as the heart friendly fat. However it is becoming more and more apparent that it is good for more than your heart: Grandmas health theories on fish as brain food are getting the nod from an accumulating number of scientists, as experts claim that omega-3 contained in fish oil is also essential to maintain a healthy brain - particularly in growing children.

Food for thought: Our brains are composed of a 1:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty-acids. For a healthy brain it is essential to maintain this balance. The bad news is that western diets on average have twenty times more omega-6 fats (from a high consumption of meat and dairy) than omega-3 fats -- a spectacularly unhealthy ratio of 20:1. Some researchers even go as far as to say that this 20:1 imbalance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may have lead to a rise in a variety of mental disorders, including hyperactivity in children, depression, brain allergies, and schizophrenia.

The good news is that the current imbalance can be corrected. In fact, according to a study funded by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, adding omega-3 fatty acids to an infant formula significantly boosted the average intelligence scores in a group of children. Fish oil has also been lauded for the relief it has given to migraine sufferers: in a recent US study, 9 of the 15 subjects tested showed reduction in the frequency and severity of migraine attacks while on the fish oil.

By supplementing a normal diet with fish oil, eating more omega-3-rich fish -- like salmon and mackerel -- by eating less sugar, and by avoiding margarine and other fatty acids found in partially-hydrogenated oils (avoid supermarket oils and salad dressings unless they are clearly labelled "cold-pressed" or "extra virgin"), we can correct the imbalance and thereby feed the brain the food it needs.

For more information on Omega-3-rich fish oil supplements for both adults and those specially formulated for children, please contact G&G on 0845 330 2205, www.gandgvitamins.co.uk.