
A recent study by scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health has stated that people with a high level of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood are 27% less likely to suffer a death from any type of disease and a 35% lower risk of death from causes associated with cardiovascular diseases.
The research, which was published in the specialized journal Annals of Internal Medicine, goes even further and specifies the added life expectancy involved in the consumption of foods rich in this fatty acid. People around the age of 65 can live two more years by including omega-3 products in their usual diets.
False myth or reality?
The truth is that scientific studies can always be refuted by subsequent ones that prove otherwise or deny the maxims defended. Although it is no less true that this investigation, in particular, has had the meticulous review of medical data of 2,700 US citizens over 65 years of age. Those with the highest levels of omega-3s in their blood had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and lived an average of 2.2 years longer than the rest.
The foods with the highest concentration of omega-3 are fish and seafood. Specifically, we can season our diets with foods such as sardines, tuna, herring, salmon and mackerel.
The lead author of this study, Dariush Mozaffarian, recommends the approximate intake of two weekly servings of fatty fish rich in omega-3. This advice endorses the moderation in the consumption of this type of food suggested by balanced diets prepared by nutrition professionals to use.
Other foods rich in omega-3
Along with fish and seafood, vegetable oils such as soybean, hazelnut or flaxseed are the foods that have a higher proportion of omega-3 fatty acid in their composition.
To a lesser extent, we can find vegetables and fruits rich in omega-3 in food stores. Examples of this are lettuce, soy, spinach, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, pineapples, walnuts, almonds or cucumbers. Once you have consulted your family doctor, you can include many of these foods in your usual diets so that you can avoid cardiovascular ailments and, according to researchers at Harvard University, live two more years.