![]() ![]() While all fish may contain small amounts of mercury, the benefits of the omega-3 fats in these varieties greatly outweigh the risks of mercury. Two servings of oily fish a week, such as salmon, tuna, sardines or mackerel should ensure normal fetal development. Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, one of the fats found in fish oil, is concentrated in the membranes that surround nerve cell and is essential for proper development of the fetal nervous system. Where the issue of not eating enough fish may be even more important is during pregnancy and lactation. But the amounts of omega-3 fats used were very high and furthermore, when we look at human epidemiological studies, there is no clear indication that men who eat fish are protected from prostate cancer. Now, this is interesting because it is believed that about a third of human prostate cancers may be due to a dysfunction in the same gene. The animals fed a diet rich in omega-3 fats had a much higher survival rate than those fed omega-3 fats, normally found in common vegetable oils such as corn or soy. But these mice were genetically engineered to lack a gene that suppresses tumour formation. For example, a great deal of attention was given to a study carried out on mice in which omega-3 fats from fish prevented prostate cancer. But not all omega-3s are created equal, not all human studies show a benefit, and some of the benefits have only been clearly seen in animal studies. And this time, at least some of the hype is supported by science. That’s because, thanks to the popular press, people have heard all about the benefits of these “nutritional superstars,” found in fish and in certain plants. Just slap “contains omega-3 fats” on a food label and sales boom.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |