World-wide attention was drawn to omega-3 fatty acids when Bang and Dyerberg – two Danish researchers working in the 1970s, found that Greenland Inuit or Eskimo people had a much lower incidence of cardiovascular disease than Danish people, despite a diet that was as high in fat.

The striking feature of the Inuit diet was a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids from fish and seafood. The Danish diet on the other hand, was high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats and saturated fats.

In another part of the world there was another group of people who lived long, healthy and happy lives – the people from the Mediterranean island of Crete . In fact, a landmark study called The Seven Countries Study found that men from Crete had the lowest rates of death from heart disease and by far the lowest rates of death from all causes.

In yet another part of the world is another group of people - who now enjoy the longest life-span in the world – the Japanese people. Their diet is different again.

In fact all these three diets are very different – the Inuit or Eskimo diet is very high in fat, the Cretan Mediterranean diet is moderately high in fat and the Japanese diet is low fat – yet they all have 1 thing in common – they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

What is so special about these fatty acids? That will be the focus of this article.

What are Omega-3 Fatty Acids?

They are essential polyunsaturated fatty acids – needed by every one of us – from unborn babies through to seniors.

Fats can be divided into 3 main groups – saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Polyunsaturated fats can be further divided into omega-6 and omega-3.

There are 2 kinds of omega-3 fatty acids – the plant omega-3 - Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA) and the marine omega-3s – Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). We need both kinds of omega-3 for optimum health.

Food Sources

Plant omega-3s come from foods such as flaxseed (linseed) oil, mustard seed oil, canola oil and margarine, soy and linseed bread and walnuts.

Marine omega-3s come from all kinds of fish – fresh, canned, frozen, smoked and pickled – other seafood such as prawns, oysters, crabs and mussels and omega-3 eggs.

What is so special about omega-3s?

Thousands of studies conducted around the world have demonstrated the protective, healing and life-saving power of omega-3 fatty acids. However, all this amazing research has mainly been locked up in the scientific journals and the general public have not known how to incorporate omega-3s into their diets until now.

Brain Food
The predominant fatty acid in our brains is the marine omega-3 – DHA. So, omega-3s are vital throughout life - from conception right through to old age.

Unborn babies and newborn babies need omega-3s for optimal development of their brain, nervous system and reproductive organs. Omega-3s are important for all kids and they can help to improve conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Omega-3 fatty acids can improve intellect, memory and mental alertness at all ages. Studies have shown that omega-3s prevent dementia and mental decline and even protect against Alzheimer's disease. A recent study showed that eating fish 3 times per week reduces the risk of developing dementia by almost 50%.

Eye Food
Unborn babies and newborn babies need omega-3s for optimal development of their eyes. A good intake of omega-3s and fish can protect older people from macular degeneration that can cause blindness.

Anti-inflammatory Food
Inflammation is associated with many conditions. Omega-3s can help in the prevention and treatment of many inflammatory and immune disorders. Some of these conditions include arthritis, asthma, chronic bronchitis, osteoporosis, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, the metabolic syndrome and ulcerative colitis. Even cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease have an inflammatory component associated with them. Omega-3s have potent anti-inflammatory properties.

Cancer-Fighting Food
Omega-3s protect against cancer – particularly colon cancer and breast cancer. Studies conducted around the world have shown that fish and omega-3s protect against cancer.

Metabolic Food
Omega-3s reduce insulin resistance and improve insulin sensitivity reducing our risk of developing diabetes and helping us to manage the condition better if we already have it. Exciting new research suggests that omega-3s may help us shed excess body fat.

Happy Food
While we do know that there are cultural and other differences between people, studies have shown that populations with high intakes of fish such as Japan and Taiwan have much lower rates of depression than countries with low intakes of fish like New Zealand and West Germany .

Omega-3 fatty acids are now being used to treat conditions such as depression, including post-natal depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

So, it's no exaggeration to say that omega-3 fats can keep us happier!

Beauty Food
Omega-3 fatty acids can even keep us looking good. They help to prevent wrinkling of the skin - and very importantly for Australians - research has indicated that omega-3s may help to protect against sun damage.

Heart Food
Omega-3s are truly food for the heart. They work in multiple ways to prevent heart disease and help to prevent death if someone does have a heart attack.

For example, they reduce clotting of the blood, lower blood pressure, raise HDL (‘good') cholesterol levels, lower levels of LDL (‘bad') cholesterol and are extremely effective in reducing blood triglyceride levels.

One of the most powerful actions of omega-3 fatty acids is to prevent ventricular arrhythmia (chaotic beating of the heart) and sudden death. Sudden death is one of the biggest causes of death after a heart attack.

The ground-breaking Lyon Diet Heart Study conducted in France produced some astounding results. A modified Cretan Mediterranean diet reduced death from cardiac causes and all causes by over 70%! The GISSI trial conducted in Italy confirmed the protective effects of omega-3 fatty acids. Death from all causes was reduced by 20% and sudden death was reduced by 45%.

So omega-3 fatty acids are truly life-saving and can save millions of lives in Australia and throughout the world!

No other nutrient is able to do this.

Recommendations

Most people around the world do not consume sufficient omega-3s. For example, a study conducted in Australia found that 50% of Australians consume less than 120 mg of EPA and DHA per day. This is less than a quarter of optimal recommended intakes!

Compare this with recent recommendations and guidelines – The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recommends that men consume 610 mg and women consume 430 mg of EPA and DHA daily to optimise their health.

The NHMRC guidelines are very similar to new recommendations published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in June 2006 – recommending around 500 mg EPA and DHA daily for the general population - to prevent cardiovascular disease.

The recommendation of around 500mg of marine omega-3s per day for the general population can be met easily by following my program.

The Safety of Fish

I'd like to say a few words here about the safety of fish. Many people have become unnecessarily fearful and confused about fish and their safety.

I want to reassure you that most fish species are safe. Some large fish are known to have higher levels of mercury. We just need to totally avoid eating those fish. In Australia and New Zealand the fish to avoid are the following:

Shark also known as Flake

Billfish like Swordfish and Marlin

Orange Roughy also known as deep sea perch

Catfish or Basa

We can eat all other fish and seafood species to our heart's content!

The wonderful health benefits obtained from fish and omega-3s far outweigh any possible risks from mercury or any other toxins.

Please note that if you live in another country, you can check with your own health and food standards organisation or National Food Authority regarding the safety of fish in your own region.

How to optimise your health and well-being

Food is one of life's great pleasures – no matter how effective a diet or program - people will not follow it for the long term if it doesn't taste good.

The omega-3 diet that I have developed is a simple and delicious one. It’s about enjoying a variety of foods each day. It’s a Mediterranean paradise, which can be adapted to suit anyone’s tastes and food preferences - with tasty chicken dishes, spicy legumes (beans), strawberries, mangoes and succulent fish and seafood featuring strongly on the menu. Even treats like cinnamon toast with lite cinnamon crème, fruit with lite orange crème, low fat ice cream and chocolate cake are part of this extraordinary diet. There's even a recipe for spaghetti bolognaise. So, this diet and program is much much more than only eating fish.

If you would like to try the program, it's all in my book - The Omega-3 Diet Revolution: The Ultimate Health and Weight Loss Solution - or you may want to consult me - to have the entire program tailored to your individual needs.

So give it a try. I can guarantee that you won't be disappointed.

18 December 2006.
Updated 2 June 2008.

Copyright © Shamala Ratnesar 2006.

If you wish to use information from any part of this document, please contact Shamala Ratnesar to obtain permission.

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