Why dha is good for children

During the first year of life, babies get their Omega-3s from either breast milk or fortified formula. As far as foods go, fatty fish such as salmon and sardines are often considered the rock stars.

Often forgotten, but also well-endowed Omega-3 seafood sources include halibut, shrimp, cod, trout, and tuna — all generally low in mercury too. Tofu and soybeans, kale and collard greens, flaxseeds and walnuts, grass-fed beef, and milk that comes from grass-fed cows all contain the good stuff.

Some brands of milk are fortified with DHA. They are not fortified with EPA, however. Archives of Medical Research. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Omega-3 supplements: In-depth. May National Institutes of Health. Omega-3 fatty acids. Office of Dietary Supplements.

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If your kids aren't into fish, try using flaxseed oil. You can add a teaspoon to a smoothie or mix it up with peanut butter for toast and sandwiches. You can also add ground flaxseeds to muffins , or soups and even breadcrumbs before baking casseroles or chicken cutlets. Make pudding using chia seeds and add your kid's favorite fruit for a nutrient-packed breakfast or snack.

Freshly Picked. Tips for Kids. Researchers believe that optimal levels of DHA, particularly in the frontal and prefrontal areas of the brain, are very important during the early years when the brain is rapidly growing and developing. It sets the stage for future intelligence and socio-emotional development. DHA is tied to the working and future intelligence of your child, or his cognition. The word cognition encompasses a wide variety of brain abilities.

Cognition also includes problem solving, comprehension, reasoning, computation, perception, reading and speech. Babies get DHA from their mothers during pregnancy. Or, if you take took a DHA supplement. Studies have shown prenatal DHA has positive outcomes for baby, including better social behavior, higher social development scores, more verbal intelligence, lower pre-term birth rates, and more.

In fact, studies show when moms took a DHA supplement after their baby was born, the concentrations of DHA in breast milk increased.