There can be very few people in the western hemisphere who have not heard that a high fat diet is unhealthy. Junk food is frequently condemned for supersizing our kids. Full-fat bad, low-fat good is the diet industry mantra.
Now, rather confusingly, the media are tripping over themselves to tell us about fats and oils that are actually good for us, they make our kids smarter not fatter. It appears that the old wives were right after all; fish, or at least, fish oil is good for the brain. Omega-3, the shorthand for the oil in question, seems to be, nutritionally speaking, the new black. Even the most unlikely products trumpet their Omega-3 credentials.
So, is it shampoo science? Quack chemistry, simply designed to sell more product?
For once, the answer is no, and here’s the science bit...
Fat is actually a very specific technical term. Chemically speaking it describes a member of the large class of organic compounds whose molecules are made from various combinations of glycerol and other compounds known as fatty acids.
Some of a fat’s physical and chemical properties are determined by its molecular structure. The details are unimportant, but if the fat is “saturated” (which is a technical term meaning that all the atoms are linked by single bonds) then it is likely to be solid at room temperature. Examples are the fat on meat, lard or butter.
If the fat is “unsaturated” (some of the atoms are linked by double bonds), then it is likely to be liquid at room temperature – what we would informally call an “oil”. Examples are olive oil, vegetable oil and fish oil.
An important attribute of the saturated / unsaturated state of the fat is the flexibility of the molecules. We will discover why flexibility is important shortly, but a quick explanation of the reason for this flexibility will also help us understand why a mainstay of highly processed and junk foodstuffs, man-made semi-saturated fats called “trans fats”, are so bad for you.
A fat molecule can be thought of as a chain of carbon atoms each having four “arms”, one arm holds hands with the atom in front, one arm holds hands with the atom behind, and the remaining two arms hold onto hydrogen atoms, like shopping bags on each side. This is a saturated fat and it is a fairly inflexible structure. In an unsaturated fat, some of the hydrogen atoms are missing, which frees up some “arms” and allows some pairs of carbon atoms to form a double handshake. Freed from the encumberance of the hydrogen atoms, this double bond gives us a more bendy joint and a more flexible molecule. Molecules with one bendy joint, or double bond, are called mono-unsaturated fats, while those with more than one are called poly-unsaturated fats.
So where do trans fats fit in? The food industry long ago discovered that they could convert unsaturated vegetable oils into semi-saturated fats by heating the oil to break the double bonds and then adding hydrogen atoms. These partially hydrogenated fats, or trans fats, have some desirable commercial properties. They are cheap to make, they have a higher melting point than unsaturated fats, so they can be solid at room temperature (for example, cheap margarine), and they last longer than natural saturated fats such as butter, so they can be used to extend the shelf-life of processed food. Unfortunately the hydrogenation process, whether as an intentional manufacturing process, or the unintentional result of deep-frying, creates very inflexible molecules, which, as we will see, is a bad thing. Not least, the consumption of trans fats is known to increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
So we seem to be suggesting that the flexibility of the fat molecule is directly related to it’s nutritional benefit, and that is exactly right.
The very inflexible, man-made trans fat is a nutritional disaster. Natural saturated fats are less harmful, but can be consumed in moderation. Unsaturated fats are actually an important part of our diet, mono-unsaturated fats are good, but poly-unsaturated fats (the most flexible fats) are even better!
In fact the fatty acids present in the unsaturated fats are “essential”. By that we mean that these fatty acids, along with several vitamins, minerals and basic proteins, cannot be manufactured by our bodies. They have to be acquired through eating. They are essential components of our diet if our bodies are to manufacture the complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins that are required to be healthy, to grow and to heal.
30% of the retina in the eye is made of fatty acids. 15-20% of the brain’s dry mass is fatty acids. All cell membranes, nerve cells, hormones, the immune system and blood clotting pathways need fatty acids in their construction. What’s more, the flexibility of the fatty acid molecules directly affects the flexibility of these membranes, which in turn affects their performance. Inflexible nerve cells pass impulses more slowly and inefficiently, directly impacting brain function.
You can now begin to imagine the effect on your body if there are not enough “good” fatty acids in your diet and worse, if what there is consists of inflexible saturated fats and trans fats. Every cell, including the brain and eyes, will be affected.
So what foods contain the correct types of fatty acids? We have already mentioned that fatty acids are poly-unsaturated fats, but we have one last piece of jargon to introduce, Omega 3 and Omega 6. This classification is simply based on the position of the double bonds in the carbon chain, the important point is that we need both. Linoleic acid (Omega 6) is found in vegetable oil, nuts, seeds and grains. Alpha-linolenic Acid (Omega 3) is found in green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds. Once ingested, the body converts these two simple fatty acids, by a series of chemical reactions, into the long-chain complex fatty acids needed in cell membrane construction, growth and maintenance of the body.
Unfortunately, the process of converting simple fatty acids into the more complex fatty acids the body needs is slow and inefficient in human beings. The process can also be affected by vitamin and mineral deficiencies, stress, smoking, alcohol, caffeine consumption, diet, genetic disposition and gender, viral infections, dyslexia and schizophrenia. Dyslexics have been shown to have difficulty converting simple fatty acids into complex fatty acids.
People who eat meat and dairy produce will obtain more than enough Omega 6, and, in principle, Omega 3 can be obtained from eating oily fish and seafood. The practical problem is that to obtain enough Omega 3 requires 2 to 3 portions of oily fish per week. Very few children are excited by the prospect of oily fish or green leafy vegetables, but a child who does not eat these foods may be Omega 3 deficient.
The signs of Omega-3 deficiency are...
Physical Signs : Dry skin, dry hair, excessive thirst, frequent urination, soft or brittle nails, dandruff, rough skin (upper arms and legs), and allergies (especially eczema).
Mood Signs : Mood often changes quickly and drastically, easily frustrated, emotionally sensitive, tendency to overdo and over-react and then become over-tired, prone to a negative outlook on life, and undue anxiety/tension.
Attentional Signs : Difficulty is sustaining attention, easily distracted, does not seem to listen, forgetful in daily activities (working memory problems), ‘brain fog’, prone to make careless mistakes, difficulty seeing tasks through to completion, sleep problems (difficulty falling asleep at night and waking up).
Visual Signs : Poor vision at night or in dark conditions, headaches or eyestrain, loses place on page when reading, letters or words move around when reading, words blur, and sensitivity to bright light.
Omega 3 deficiency can affect anyone, but the consequences for people with dyslexia are particularly acute. You may have noticed how consistent the above list of Omega 3 deficiency symptoms is with the symptoms of dyslexia. In fact, it is known that people with dyslexia are not good at converting simple fatty acids into the more complex fatty acids that the body requires.
Ensuring a sufficient intake of Omega 3 fatty acids will benefit anyone, but it is of particular and significant benefit to people with dyslexia. Academic research and clinical trials have clearly demonstrated that it can reduce the visual perceptual, attention and concentration problems that are characteristics of dyslexia. It can also benefit people with dyspraxia and ADHD.
As we have said, one way to obtain Omega 3 is to eat oily fish 2-3 times a week, but it is also possible to take an Omega 3 dietary supplement in capsule form. Eye-Q and MorEPA are two reputable brands, and high street chemists such as Boots have own-brand generic products. The key point is to select a product that is specifically intended as an Omega 3 supplement. It is, of course, also beneficial to reduce or eliminate highly processed and junk food from the diet.
The available evidence supports that conclusion that people with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and ADHD may have an Omega 3 deficiency, which may benefit from direct supplementation with an Omega 3 supplement, especially if the person shows signs of fatty acid deficiency.
For further information and reading:
Pat Grieve MSc, Dip. SpLD
Director of the Dyslexia Shop