iLunchbox Blog

Omega 3s Deliver; Children Benefit
Posted by Katherine Green on May 15 2008
iLunchbox Blog >> Beth Ann

Recently I was having a discussion with a friend of mine that resulted in my doing some research on the health benefits of Omega 3 essential fatty acids in children. Essential means we must ingest it, our bodies do not produce it.

There is so much in the news lately about Omega 3 fatty acids and heart health, cancer prevention, and memory enhancement for adults. There is also a lot of information on how Omega 3 fatty acids and the EPA and DHA forms of the nutrient benefit the development of the brain and eyes in infants. 

But what about children – the in-between group? My friend’s daughter has eczema and Apraxia, a sort of confusion between the brain and the ability of speech.   I wondered if this could somehow be explained through nutrition.

Well, I consulted one of my favorite books, The World’s Healthiest Foods by George Magellan, and got some answers right away. It has been suggested that a deficiency in Omega 3 fatty acids can be linked to cognitive and psychosocial problems like ADHD, motor skill dysfunction, depression and maybe even Dyslexia; maybe not Apraxia, but a close cousin. These fatty acids also have anti-inflammatory properties and can aide to reduce the occurrences of allergy induced asthma and dermatitis (eczema).

So this information helped explain some things for my friend and why the increase in a diet high in Omega 3 fatty acids helped her daughter’s symptoms. For me, it gave me some food for thought, no pun intended.

If the typical American diet is low in Omega 3 fatty acids, yet high in Omega 6 fatty acids, what does that mean to us as parents? As a matter of fact, the standard American diet is very low in Omega 3 fatty acids making the deficiency of Omega 3s the widest spread nutrient deficiency in the United States. Omega 6 fatty acids, on the other hand, are very common in the typical American diet. Further, an abundance of Omega 6s in our diet can enhance the ill effects of a deficiency in Omega 3s.

Could the rise in ADHA and poor behavior issues in American children be contributed to our diet? Could we enhance the cognitive learning abilities of our children and make schoolwork a little easier for them? I don’t know, but it is an interesting thought.

I am happy to report that after six months of a diet rich in Omega 3s my friend’s daughter has much improved speech and no rashes, and her allergies are much better too. Coincidence? Not likely, but nutrition is only part of the overall wellness program she is engaged in; important, yes, but not the only part. Ask your pediatrician or family doctor if consulting a nutritionist will help your family.

Where to find more Omega 3s? There are always supplements like Li’l Critters Omega-3 Gummy Fish; 2 gummy’s have 200 mg of Omega 3-DHAand they are available at most pharmacies and supermarkets. Coromega Orange Flavor is another easy to administer product, served cold and stirred into yogurt or juices.   One packet contains 580 mg of long chain omega 3 fatty acids, 580 Mg, 290 mg of EPA and 190 mg of DHA, additionally, this product does not have soy.

Fatty, cold water fish are rich in the most important forms of Omega 3s, called EPA and DHA. Plant-based foods such as flaxseed and walnuts contain lesser amounts of Omega 3s in the form of ALA that the body converts to small amounts of EPA or DHA. In a nutshell….plant-based foods are a good complement to fish, but not a substitute.

Fish: 4oz servings and the approximate milligrams per serving