NUTRITION WATCH

Test Your Omega-3 Smarts

Flax seeds are a good source of omega-3 fats

And win our prize: better health!

By Brierley Wright , EatingWell March/April 2008

You’ve heard plenty about how omega-3 fats are good for you—enough to know that you should be eating fish a couple times a week. But did you know there are three types of omega-3s—each of which functions differently? Try to match each type of omega-3 below (1, 2, 3) with its function (A, B, C).

1. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid): most abundant in seafood and fish-oil concentrates.

2. DHA (docosahexaenoic acid): found in seafood, breast milk and added to fortified foods (e.g., yogurt, eggs).

3. ALA (alpha-linolenic acid): found in plants; most abundant in flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil.

A) Research suggests that this omega-3 fat has anti-inflammatory effects and, according to a new study in Atherosclerosis, helps prevent fatty plaques from building up in arteries.

B) Most that you eat is burned for calories—but some is transformed into the other two omega-3s.

C) This omega-3, which concentrates in the brain, has been associated with higher IQ scores in children whose mothers consumed plenty of it during pregnancy.

Answers: 1. A; 2. C; 3. B

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