Raising a child is fun, crazy, chaotic, and rewarding all at the same time, but for some parents, the chaotic and crazy may often override the fun and rewarding aspect. If you find that your child has difficulty learning or is aggressive towards others, it may be beneficial to test out the effect omega-3 fats have on your young one, and doing so may even benefit the relationship you have with your partner!
A recent article published in the Aggressive Behaviour journal explores the positive role omega-3’s may have on your child and ultimately the relationship between you and your partner. To examine the psychological effect omega-3’s have on specific behaviours, the researchers from the University of Oxford gave 100 children a fruit drink with 1 gm of omega-3 fats and another 100 children a fruit drink without omega-3 fats. They then studied how omega-3’s affected the child’s behaviour, and how the child’s behaviour then affected their parents or caregivers.
The results highlighted that when the children took omega-3 fatty acid supplements, their behaviour calmed, which ultimately reduced the inter-partner aggression between the child’s parents or caregivers.
Jill Portnoy, one of the authors, claims, “This is a promising line of research because omega-3 fatty acids are thought to improve brain health in children and adults. There is more to be learned about the benefits, but if we can improve people's brain health and behavior in the process, that's a really big plus.”
When your child consumes omega-3 fats on a consistent basis, not only will your family life likely change for the better but your child’s overall cognitive function will also likely improve.
For example, it is common for children with ADHD to have lower levels of omega-3 in comparison to children without ADHD. Therefore, reportedly, when a child with ADHD consumes omega-3s, their behaviour will naturally improve. Research also claims that the potent omega-3s help to ease asthma symptoms in children, and newborns or pregnant woman consume omega-3s, the infant will experience a boost in brain health and other areas of development.
If you are looking for the right formula for your newborn, one source claims that a DHA-fortified formula may be the best choice! They say that an infant who consumes a DHA-fortified formula will have better vision than a child who drinks a non-DHA-fortified formula, this is because DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, helps to boost your child’s eyesight and cognitive development.
You can help your child by creating meals with foods rich in omega-3, which includes foods like walnuts, Atlantic mackerel, albacore tuna, white fish, sardines, egg yolks, hemp seeds, Alaskan salmon, and so much more. Hopefully, omega-3s can help calm and lessen your child's crazy and chaotic moments!