Clever kids eat fish

The brain-boosting benefits of oily fish have long been recognised, but warnings about mercury levels may be stopping you from making it a regular fixture on your child's dinner plate.

However, a 10-year study from the University of Rochester in the US, based on the diets of 700 children, shows the benefits of eating oily fish, a good source of omega 3 essential fatty acids, far outweigh any risks. Although the fish eaten contained variable levels of mercury, tests on the children's brains showed they were healthy.

Professor Michael Morissey, director of the Oregon State University Seafood Laboratory, says, ‘Although young children and pregnant women should avoid eating shark, swordfish and Spanish mackerel, eating 12oz a week of a variety of fish is good for a healthy brain and eyesight.'

Start a discussion :: Print this article ::