Link: http://www.allaboutvision.com/nutrition/fatty_acid_1.htm
Title: Eye Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Author: Gary Heiting
Summary: Some fatty acids, referred to as the "building blocks of fat", are an essential part of our diet because our body is unable to produce them on our own. Among these essential fatty acids are omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. After researching omega-3 fatty acids in depth, scientists have resoundingly concluded that omega-3 fatty acids are a critical part of normal infant vision development. In addition, studies done on adults suggest that a diet full of omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent adults from suffering from dry eye syndrome, high eye pressure, glaucoma, and various other eye conditions. Both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are important to maintaining one's health, but balancing the two properly in one's diet is where many people go astray. Most experts believe the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid in a healthy diet should be around 4-to-1, while the average American's omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acid ratio in their diet is between 10-to-1 and 30-to-1. Eating foods such as salmon and cutting out highly processed food can help one achieve this healthy 4-to-1 ratio.
In some cases, the side effects of an unbalanced ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 are heart disease, cancer, asthma, arthritis, and depression. Wild-Caught fish will usually have higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids than farmed ones, which are subject to pollutants and chemicals.
ReplyDeleteIt is important for adults to do this and achieve a lower omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, as not doing so can lead to numerous serious health issues. Infact, maintaining a "bad ratio" has even been shown to be a contributing factor in causing heart disease, cancer, asthma, arthritis, and depression.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to note that the omega-3 fatty acids found in foods (instead of supplements) yield greater health benefits. I would be interested to see the mechanism by which these FAs affect the physiology of the eye in order to produce these stated effects. I also wonder what the difference is between food and supplement that causes the variance in effect.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to note that the omega-3 fatty acids found in foods (instead of supplements) yield greater health benefits. I would be interested to see the mechanism by which these FAs affect the physiology of the eye in order to produce these stated effects. I also wonder what the difference is between food and supplement that causes the variance in effect.
ReplyDelete