Don’t Miss Out on the Latest Updates.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter Today!
Time and again, studies have proved that eating the right foods can help you stay healthy. Adding or removing certain things from the diet can have a significant impact on your heart and brain health. Now, a new study has found that what you eat can help you live longer, with one type of food, in particular, extending your life by up to five years. According to the study published in The American Journal of Clinal Nutrition, adding foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids may boost life span.
The study is the result of a collaboration between Spain's Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM) and The Fatty Acid Research Institute to see if blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids could be used to accurately predict death risk. The researchers looked at data from 2,240 adults over 65 who were part of the Framingham Offspring Cohort, a long-term study that has been tracking the health of residents of a Massachusetts town since 1971. The average time spent monitoring each patient was roughly 11 years.
As per the study results, even a 1% rise in omega-3 levels in tests significantly reduced the chance of premature mortality. Study author Aleix Sala-Vila from the IMIM's Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group said, "Having higher levels of these acids in the blood, as a result of regularly including oily fish in the diet, increases life expectancy by almost five years." They also found that including omega-3 was a good indicator for longer life, whereas smoking was a definite cause of a shorter life.
Previous research has also linked early mortality rate to omega-3s. Another study published in the journal Nature Communications including fatty acids like omega-3s can decrease the risk of early death by 13 per cent. It lowers the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and may also lower the risk of some malignancies.
The study's findings were unexpected in that they discovered four types of fatty acids in the blood were linked to a lower chance of death. This comprises two saturated fatty acids, which are known to raise the risk of cardiovascular disease when consumed in large quantities.
They also found that making small but right changes in your diet can have a much powerful impact on your life. The authors also highlighted the fact that the age of the people included in the study also shows that it is never too late to make these changes in your diet.
Omega-3s are necessary fatty acids that our bodies require to function properly. One of their most significant advantages is that they appear to have anti-inflammatory properties. It offers many health benefits, including heart diseases, arthritis, reducing inflammation and prevent some chronic diseases. Foods that are high in omega-3s include:
While these sources of omega-3s are good for your health, it is always a good idea to discuss the use of any medication or supplement with your doctor.