Foods high in omega-3s are often referred to as "healthy fats." Think fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines; nuts and seeds including flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts; canola oil; and certain fortified dairy products and juices. We tend to talk about these foods in relation to weight-loss goals and feelings of satiety, but their health benefits extend far beyond the scale. In fact, two new studies show that eating foods high in omega-3s can lower the risk of certain cancers and protect cognitive health as we age.
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What exactly are omega-3s?
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According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), omega-3 fatty acids "are important components of the membranes that surround each cell in your body." While they help all cells function, they're found in especially high concentrations in the eyes and brain.
"Omega-3s also provide calories to give your body energy and have many functions in your heart, blood vessels, lungs, immune system, and endocrine system," the NIH adds.
But because the body doesn't produce enough omega-3s naturally, it's important to get them through our diets.
Omega-3s can improve cognitive function in older adults.
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A new study published in The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine found that an increased consumption of omega-3s "may help to prevent cognitive decline with aging."
To arrive at their findings, researchers examined data from 2,430 people aged 60 and above between 2011 and 2014. According to an article in PsyPost, the participants were asked to complete three cognitive tests:
- A word recall test measuring memory retention
- A test where participants named as many animals as they could within a minute, assessing executive function and mental flexibility
- A test that evaluates processing speed and working memory by having participants match symbols to numbers under time constraints
Even after accounting for age, weight, health conditions, and lifestyle factors such as smoking, participants with a higher omega-3 intake scored higher on all three tests.
However, researchers did pinpoint a plateau, meaning it's likely that only moderate omega-3 consumption is necessary.
Omega-3s can also lower cancer risk.
ShutterstockAnother study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, found that consumption of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids could lower the risk of 19 types of cancer.
Omega-6s work similarly in the body to omega-3s and can be found primarily in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds.
The study examined the effects of these two "healthy fats" on 250,000 participants from the U.K. Biobank who were tracked for more than 10 years.
Those with higher levels of omega-3s had lower rates of cancer in the colon, stomach, lung, and hepatobiliary tract (liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts). Participants with higher omega-6 levels had lower rates of cancer in the head and neck, esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, hepatobiliary tract, pancreas, lung, connective soft tissue, kidney, bladder, brain, and thyroid, as well as lower rates of malignant melanoma.
As Science Daily explains, the research did show a slightly elevated risk of prostate cancer associated with omega-3s, so men may want to speak to their doctors before adjusting their diet.
However, "These findings suggest that the average person should focus on getting more of these fatty acids in their diets," said Yuchen Zhang, lead author of the study and a doctoral student at the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Public Health.
"For women, it's an easy decision: Eat more omega-3," added Kaixiong Ye, corresponding author of the study and an associate professor in UGA's Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.
RELATED: 10 Surprising Benefits of Taking Fish Oil Every Day.
What about omega-3 supplements?
iStockIf you are not getting enough omega-3 fatty acids through your diet, supplements like fish oil are an option if your healthcare provider agrees.
As Best Life recently reported, omega-3 benefits also may include better cardiovascular health, stress reduction, acne improvement, and reduced inflammation.
