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Heart Swimming Omega-3 fatty acids prove beneficial for the heart, too 
Fish has always been considered good brain food, but according to new research at Columbia University Medical Center, its great for your heart, too. The study, conducted in three separate populations of mice, found that a diet rich in fish oils can help protect against the accumulation of fat in the aorta, the main artery leaving the heart. In the study, one population of mice was fed a balanced diet, the second a diet high in saturated fats and the third was fed a high fish fat diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. The research team, led by Richard J. Deckelbaum, M.D., Director of the Columbia Institute of Human Nutrition, found that the fatty acids contained in fish oil inhibit the entry of "bad," or LDL, cholesterol into arteries and, consequently, much less cholesterol collects in these vessels. Fatty acids have an ability to decrease lipoprotein lipase, a molecule that traps LDL in the arterial wall. Omega-3 fatty acids can also lower triglycerides, a type of fat often found in the bloodstream. These benefits were also found at high fat intakes, including diets high in saturated fat. Dr. Deckelbaum recommends those interested in increasing omega-3 intakes to do so by increasing fish intake or by using supplements that contain the "long-chain" fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which are found in cold water fish like tuna, sardines or salmon. |
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