The cult of omega-3

BBC ^ | Mar 1, 2010 | Brendan O'Neill

[decimon]

Hardly a week goes by without a new health claim being made of eating oily fish. But is it really as magical as we are told?

If there were a top 40 of good foods, a chart rundown of the right things to eat, then anything containing omega-3 fatty acids would have been number one for years. They even have their own international awareness day, which takes place this Wednesday.

Omega-3 is the name given to a family of unsaturated fatty acids found mainly in oily fish, such as salmon, herring, sardines and anchovies, and also in eggs, meat, milk and cheese.

The naturally occurring acids of the omega-3 family can apparently boost our brain power, keep our hearts healthy, strengthen our bones, and much more. You can ingest the fatty acids by eating a lot of the right kind of fish or by taking fish oil supplements - little golden capsules rich in omega-3.

Hardly a week goes by without yet another media report on "The wonders of omega-3 fatty acids" (as a headline in Canada put it recently).

Last month it was reported omega-3 can protect against psychotic disorders such a schizophrenia. An international team of researchers gave a daily dose to 81 people deemed to be at risk from psychosis and found it seemed to cut the rate of psychotic illness - including schizophrenia - by 25%.

But how much of this is hype, and how much reality? Is there a danger that a largely fish-derived fatty acid is being turned into a modern-day magic potion?

[webstersII]

“I go in for lab work next month to see if it reduced my cholesterol and triglycerides.”

Check out the Framingham Heart study (just google it) for a different perspective on cholesterol. It’s a multi-decades long study that found that people who had higher cholesterol lived longer.

[irishtenor]

Not much salmon to be caught in Kansas :>)
If you EVER get it fresh, I mean pull it out of the water and plop it on the grill fresh, there’s nothing better.

[Mr Rogers]

I find the fish oil gives me indigestion, so I’ve been trying flax seed oil. I have a checkup in May - so I have no testimonies until then, at least.

[djf]

Wild tuna and wild salmon are carnivores.

[irishtenor]

I take 3000 mg, about three times a week.

[goldi]

I take that brand too. I believe they came out with an orange flavor also.

[guitarplayer1953]

Kinda like fresh catfish and crapie we catch here.

[irishtenor]

Same idea, but the taste... oo-la-la.
I make a tray out of aluminum foil, oil it with olive oil, put the salmon fillet on it skin side down, then rub oil and garlic powder on it, place some lemon or orange slices on it, cover with aluminum foil, and place it on the grill. YUM!!!!!!!!!!!