Two very important fats are Omega-3, and Omega-6. These are called essential fats because our body cannot manufacture them from other nutrient, you must obtain them from your diet.
Omega-6 is readily available in today's diet due to the wide use of vegetable oils, in fact most people consume a diet with a ratio 12:1 of Omega-6 to Omega-3, where the ideal ratio should be 1:1. Therefore its very important to make sure you and your family has an adequate intake of Omega-3 to counteract this imbalance.
The Importance of Omega 3:
The essential fats of Omega-3 are EPA and DHA
EPA
- Increases brain function, particularly
the areas used for memory, learning and reasoning.
- A link has been discovered between low levels of Omega-3 and ADHD, children with ADHD have lower levels of Omega-3 in their blood than children without ADHD.
- Children with reading difficulty have shown increasing levels of Omega-3. - Prevents Inflammation
- EPA interferes with the production of arachidonic acid, the more you body will produce inflammatory compounds.
DHA
- Improves eye health
- DHA keeps your cell membranes in a state whereby essential nutrients can pass in and out of the cells. This particularly has an effect on the nerve transmission in the retina (lining of the eye) - Supports brain development
- Stunted emotional and intellectual development has been linked to low levels of Omega-3.
- High levels of DHA have been linked to higher vocabulary scores.
Signs your child may be deficient:
- Irritable
- Inattentive
- Dry skin and symptoms of eczema
- Excessive thirst
- Poor eyesight
If you suspect your child maybe deficient, you can book in with a health professional for example a Naturopath that can help you more with your child's health.
