Parents, don’t forget to pack omega-3

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When I was younger, my parents always tried to feed me vegetables and fish. We had fish almost 5 days a week because we used to live in Asia and fish are so cheap there. From steamed fish to caramelised fish, I just had to eat them with vegetables on the side regardless of how bad I wanted some deep fried chicken wings from the new KFC store that just came to town. I hated fish, I hated the slimy texture and I was scared of bones. In order to convince me to take a bite, my kind-hearted mother filtered everything thoroughly to make sure that I can eat fish at ease. Even when I was 15, I was still afraid of eating fish, especially fillet cuts. I’m never sure whether all the bones have been removed.

But childhood came and went quickly. Little did I know, I’m now a young adult and I would choose to eat fish over anything else – I am sick of red meat. I watch my diet closely, not strictly. I make sure that I get enough and balanced nutrition. And one thing that is on top of my list is omega-3. Yes, fish, your richest source of fatty acids that contribute to your health, from your brain to your heart.

I will always appreciate my parents for not giving up on feeding me something I didn’t want to eat. I appreciate that I had enough of them in my childhood that I’m not longer afraid of bones and I can independently see what good they do for me.

Parents, your children need omega-3. 

Studies have found that fatty acids can contribute a lot to brain development. Results showed that children with adequate intakes of omega-3 have better learning and cognitive behaviour. Children become more perceptive, they have better memory and it also gives them a confidence boost. They were also shown to have improved their reading and writing skills. Not only do fatty acids improve what you already have, they also help with mental conditions such as ADHD and dyslexia.

Sadly, not a lot of children are getting enough of this. Results from a study show that 9 out of 10 children from the sample did not have an adequate amount of fish, i.e. less than 2 servings of fish a week. Additionally, 1 in 10 children did not have fish at all.

My parents would want me to be a better learner, you would want your children to be healthier. So omega-3 is the place you should start. Forget McNuggets. Choose a plate of steamed fish.

-HNH

8 thoughts on “Parents, don’t forget to pack omega-3”

  3. All seafood contains omega-3, salmon, herring, and sardines are relatively high in omega-3 and low in mercury. Mussels, oysters and clams are also good sources of omega-3 and they can all be farmed with positive environmental effects (they cleanup the environment by filtering out algae–the real source of omega-3). Just make sure your fish is not fried. Fried fish contains more omega-6 than omega-3, sending your essential fat balance in the wrong direction.

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    • Hi Doug,

      Thanks for the kind words and visiting my blog. I would love to research further into how fatty acids can help ADHD.

      I will share anything that might be useful!

      Best,
      HNH

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      • Fishy – I know very little about this. The studies show that omega three fatty acids are of some help to some people with ADD ADHD. I believe they are helpful to a lot of people in a lot of ways, brain, heart, muscles, depression, possibly bipolar, etc.,and I recommend them in general. It is a little tricky to find the right kind with the right ratio of DEA and EPA (do I even have that right?)and of course their manufacturer is not regulated and then if you go with just fish. You may have to worry a little bit about Mercury..
        Looks like that your area.

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