Most women dread the word fat, especially when it comes to posing for pictures or looking at themselves in the changing room mirror, but all type of dietary fats are not harmful for us. Saturated fats, usually found in meat, eggs and dairy or Trans fats, usually found in french-fries, cakes and cookies have been found to be bad for the body. Saturated fats clog up the arteries and increase the risk of coronary diseases.

Unsaturated fats are good for you for example omega 3 fatty acid. Fish oil (Omega 3 fatty acid) is essential for optimal health. You can obtain fish oil in 2 ways, by eating foods like mackerel, tuna, salmon, flaxseeds, walnuts and other food which is rich in omega 3 fatty acids or by taking supplements. Fish oil boots brain power and heart health. Apart from these positive effects, fish oil is also known to be extremely beneficial for women.

benefits of fish oil for womenHere are a few reasons why fish oil is beneficial for women:

Lowers your Risk of Breast Cancer

It was found in a study involving 35,000 post-menopausal women with no history of breast cancer that fish oil reduced chances of breast cancer. Women had fish oil showed 33% lesser chance to get breast cancer. However, these findings are preliminary and further research is needed to understand the effect omega 3 fatty acids may have on breast cancer prevention.

Eases Menstrual Pain

Many women experience abdominal pain and cramps every month. This pain is caused by strong contractions of the uterus caused by prostaglandins, which is a chemical in the body involved with inflammation and pain. Omega 3 is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties and can help soothe menstrual pain.

Beneficial During Menopause

A study from the University of Quebec was published, in which 120 women aged 40 to 55 with menopausal symptoms were randomly given ethyl EPA (an omega 3 fatty acid found in fish oil) or a placebo for a period of 8 weeks. After the testing period it was found that women who were taking ethyl EPA showed reduced moodiness and the frequency of hot flashes compared to women who got the placebo.

Beneficial During and after Pregnancy

The omega 3 fatty acids consumed by you during pregnancy will be passed on to your developing fetus, and your baby will continue to get the omega 3 fatty acids after birth through breast milk. This early supplementation will help ensure adequate supply of omega 3 fatty acids which will aid optimal cerebral and cognitive growth of the infant. Apart from that, EPA and DHA that form a part of the omega 3 chain are also known to improve the quality of pregnancy and reduce the chances of premature birth.

It keeps you in a Happy Mood

Omega 3 has been known to fend off depression too. In the largest study done on omega 3 supplements, it was found that omega 3 helped stabilise the mood and helped in improving their quality of life.