The Importance of Adequate Omega 3 For Children

Omega 3 and Children

Life seems to be a constant hustle and bustle with kids, and their diets tend to suffer. School lunches are get poor grades, and we eat more fast and processed foods. As hard as we try to feed our kids healthy foods, they are still lacking one very vital nutrient — Omega 3 Fatty Acids. As parents, we must understand the importance of omega 3 for children and make sure they are getting enough.

It’s hard these days to feed kids a healthy diet when TV commercials advertise foods that are less than par. The store shelves are lined at kid’s eye levels with processed foods that contain little or no valuable nutrition and school lunches come from mostly cans. We have a tough fight ahead of us!

One very important point we cannot miss is that researchers are finding that Omega 3 Fatty Acids are a basic building block of brain cells. Kids need healthy brain cells for learning. Omega 3 can reduce symptoms of ADHD, childhood depression, and even asthma. The studies are ongoing and researchers are finding some very positive results with the use of Omega 3.

If you’re pregnant, make sure you get adequate Omega 3 in order to build healthy fetal brain cells. Infants who use formula need formula enriched with Omega 3, while young children also need to eat foods high in this nutrient. Many supplements for pregnant women, infants, and children are enriched with added Omega 3.

Omega 3 and Safety for Children

The highest levels of Omega 3 in food comes from fish and fish oils. The problem with high amounts of fish in the diet is the possible high intake of mercury. High mercury fish are: tuna, swordfish, king mackerel, and orange roughy. Tuna has the highest levels of mercury and is commonly used to make sandwiches for kids. Recommendations for tuna in kids’ diets is three ounces weekly. That is about ½ a can of tuna. This issue can add to the deficiency of Omega 3 fatty acids.

Best fish for kids are ones that swim in cold water and are wild caught. This includes; tilapia, cod, salmon, and shrimp. While these are generally fatty fish, they have way less mercury. If your child is vegetarian or refuses to eat fish, there are healthy vegetarian sources including: flax and flax products, soybeans, canola oil, and walnuts (make sure your child does not have a tree nut allergy if you choose to use walnuts). An easy way to get your child to eat these foods is to use them in foods like: oatmeal sprinkled with flax powder, or to bake up some flax muffins with canola oil.

You can always try a children’s Omega 3 supplement. There are many types of children’s multi-vitamins that already contain Omega 3. There are even children’s fish oil capsules. If you do use the children’s fish oil supplement, check the label to see if the brand is low mercury. Make sure you check with your child’s doctor before using an Omega 3 supplement.

Omega 3 Dosage For Kids

The best way for kids to get adequate amounts of Omega 3 is to have them eat 2 to 3 servings of fish that is “low mercury” a week. Children do not need as much as adults to get the health benefits. If you choose to use a supplement, infants need about 300mg to 500 mg Omega 3 every day. Infants who breastfeed will get enough Omega 3 from breast milk as long as you eat enough “low-mercury” foods containing Omega 3. Make sure that during pregnancy and breastfeeding you are not eating sources of mercury. Infants who bottle feed should take a formula fortified with Omega 3. Check labels carefully, but most are now fortified.

If your child will not eat fish, ask their pediatrician about an Omega 3 supplement. The recommended dosage for younger children is 600 mg Omega 3 every day. If you can get your child to eat fish, all they need is about 3 to 6 ounces of salmon or whitefish two times a week. The recommended amount for older children and teenagers is right around 1,600mg daily.

If you have a young child with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), depression, or autism, the recommended dosage is 1,000mg daily. Always consult with a doctor before giving Omega 3 to a young child and only use higher doses under close supervision. It is generally safe for kids and side-effects are mild if given with food.

Conclusion

Understanding the importance of adequate omega 3 for children helps them grow and develop as healthy children and adults. Omega 3 can help brain development, as well as help prevent certain health conditions. Studies are ongoing to see if Omega 3 can help reduce the symptoms of ADHD, Autism, and childhood depression. Omega 3 can be supplemented, but the best source for kids is a healthy diet with “low mercury” Omega 3 foods.

Grain vs. Grass For Omega 3

Omega 3 from Grain Fed or Grass Fed Sources?

If you are thinking about adding more Omega 3 foods to your diet, understand the difference between Grain versus Grass fed sources for the Omega 3. When we eat an Omega 3 rich food, it must be balanced with Omega 6 fatty acids in just the right amounts.

Our bodies do not produce Omega fatty acids, but they are necessary for good health. We need to get the proper ratio of 3 parts Omega 3 to 1 part Omega 6 fatty acids. Animals that we eat make Omega 3 and 6, but the proper ratio depends on whether they are fed grain or grass.

When beef cows are fed only grains, they tend to produce 20 parts Omega 6 fatty acids and only 1 part Omega 3 fatty acids. As you can see above, this is too much Omega 6 and unhealthy for the human body. When animals graze on grass naturally, the Omega three ratio is 1 part Omega 3 to 1 part Omega 6. Humans also tend to eat more nuts, flax, seeds, and vegetables that contain higher amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids.

Studies now show the human diet has evolved into a mostly Omega 6 type diet, with nearly no Omega 3. Human health is in a downward spiral and the ratio is found to be 25 parts Omega 6 to 1 part Omega 3. The key to good health is to try to get the Omega 6 levels lower and raise the intake of Omega 3. This all begins with what the animals we eat are fed when they are raised.

Free Range Chickens are Higher in Omega 3

Chickens used to be a high Omega 3 food because they used to only be “free range” and eat a healthy diet of: insects, nuts, grass, and dried fruits that fell from trees. They never ate grains. Chicken eggs that come from free range chickens have a 1.5 Omega 3 to 1 Omega 6 ratio which is perfect! On commercial chicken farms, they are fed only grains and therefore produce eggs that contain 20 parts Omega 6 to 1 part Omega 3.

Be Careful of Omega’s in Fish too

While they say that fish is the best way to get Omega 3 fatty acids in the diet, not all fish is high in Omega 3. This is because fish raised commercially on fish farms are fed pellet diets made of grains. This raises the ratio to 4 parts Omega 6 to 1 part Omega 3. When you buy fish, check to see that it is wild caught and cold water fish. These wild caught fish eat “free range” style in the ocean and dine on algae, which is very high in good nutrition and vitamins. When fish is wild caught the Omega 3 is 15 parts and Omega 6 is only 3 parts.

Increasing Omega 3 While Lowering Omega 6

Grass is not a part of the human diet, but we need to eat less meat from animals raised on grains and more from animals that are raised on grass. The key to lowering Omega 6 is to drastically reduce the amount of Omega 6 foods in our diet. While reducing Omega 6, we need to be eating more foods that are high in Omega 3.

This means decreasing Omega 6 foods such as; animals fed on: grain diets, vegetable oils, sunflower seeds, margarine, sesame seeds, shortening and creamy salad dressing. These are all high in unhealthy fats and throw the Omega balance off.

While decreasing Omega 6 foods, increase your intake of Omega 3 foods like: grass fed animals, chicken that is free range, eggs from free range chickens, walnuts, flax products, wild rice (which is a type of grass high in Omega 3), wild fish, canola oil, and flax oil.

Try to eat winter squash such as; pumpkin, butternut squash, and acorn squash. Kidney and black beans are also high in Omega 3.

Conclusion

When it comes to grain versus grass for omega 3, you don’t need to graze on grass. You just need to decrease your intake of grain type foods and meat. Try to buy grass fed meats and lower your intake of Omega 6 foods. This will help you get the most benefits from Omega 3 fatty acids.

Side-Effects And Omega 3: Good Or Bad

The Side-Effects of Omega 3

Omega 3 comes from all-natural sources and a natural nutrient the body needs. Therefore, many people wonder about side-effects and Omega3: good or bad. There are very few reported uncomfortable side-effects and this supplement is actually pretty gentle on the body. The only issue people encounter is if they are allergic to walnuts, fish, shellfish, soy or flax. Other than allergies, Omega 3 is generally safe and well-tolerated by most people.

In order to avoid side-effects, take Omega 3 with meals. Most consumers report they don’t even feel like they took anything, but do feel the benefits. In order to minimize any adverse effects, keep the recommended dosage to under 3,000mg daily or even less. Only doctors can recommend dosages over 3,000mg daily for certain medical conditions.

Omega 3 is generally safe, but please note that it must come from fish that have a low incidence of mercury including: white fish, wild caught salmon, and shellfish. If the supplement contains mercury, the body will not be able to absorb Omega 3 properly. The recommended source is “cold water” fish in order for the body to get the most benefit.

Very few Side-Effects

Omega 3 does have a few small reported side-effects, but most are limited to the digestive system. Most people find that taking the supplements with food alleviates them. Side-effects can include:

Fish “burps”
Mild nausea
Loose stools
Fish smell on breath or body odor
Increased bleeding tendencies if taking more than 3,000mg a day
Higher blood sugar for diabetic patients
Bloated abdomen

One side-effect critical to monitor is the use of Omega 3 if you are on blood thinners. Since Omega 3 thins the blood, the use of Omega 3 with Coumadin (warfarin), heparin, or Lovenox (injections) can make your blood too thin and increase risk of serious bleeding. Always check with your physician before using Omega 3 if you use anti-coagulant medications.

When using Omega 3 with chronic health conditions, inform your physician so he or she can adjust your dosage accordingly. If you have a heart condition you may need more than 3,000mg daily, but your doctor will need to start you at a lower dose and gradually increase it as tolerated.

Side-Effects that can be Good

For people who suffer from heart disease, a few of the side-effects of Omega 3 can be really beneficial, when taken correctly. Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown in studies to lower blood pressure. This may cause dizziness in some people who have had a long-standing history of high blood pressure. This effect can be lessened just by taking in some added fluids during the day and getting up slowly when lying down.

For those with blood clotting disorders, Omega 3 has blood thinning properties that may help treat blood clots. While this condition must be monitored closely by a physician, and Omega 3 can have drug interactions when used with prescription blood thinners, doctors may use this supplement to prevent blood clots from happening in the first place.

Never take Omega 3 without a doctor’s knowledge if you are on a blood thinner. If you suffer from constipation issues, Omega 3 derived from cod liver oil may help to relieve constipation issues and increase bowel movements.

Conclusion

Looking at the side-effects of Omega 3 good or bad tell you that this supplement is very safe and good for your body. Both healthy people and people with health conditions can benefit from getting enough Omega 3 in their diet and through supplementation. It is important to check with your doctor before starting Omega 3 supplements, especially if you are under care for a chronic health condition.