Concentration problems, memory lapses, mental fatigue… Before turning to supplements, many experts point out that the plate remains the first lever to activate.
Moreover, ANSES and Health Insurance recommend eating fish twice a week. Including once an oily fish, to provide enough essential fatty acids to his brain.
This winning trio is the herringTHE
mackerel and the salmonfor their richness in
omega 3. These polyunsaturated fatty acids, EPA and DHA, nourish the membranes of neurons. They thus help to limit the inflammation which damages memory areas.
A study published in 2012 in the journal Neurology on 281 seniors followed for four years associated a higher blood level of EPA with less hippocampal atrophy.
Why do these fatty fish interest memory?
The brain contains a large proportion of lipids, and DHA represents a significant fraction of nerve membranes. When the diet regularly provides fatty fish, these membranes remain more flexible. Result: signals pass better between neurons and the brain manages oxidative stress better.
Omega 3 is also involved in the regulation of chronic micro-inflammation, a phenomenon associated with brain aging and cognitive decline.
However, science remains cautious. The review
Cochrane reviewed three randomized trials in 2012 involving 3,536 older people, receiving fish oil supplements or a placebo.
The researchers did not observe any clear improvement in cognitive function tests in these healthy seniors. The message that is emerging: it is better to aim for a varied diet rich in fatty fish than to hope for a miracle capsule.
Herring, mackerel, salmon: the numbers that make the difference
On average, 100 g of mackerel provides around 2,650 mg of omega 3, farmed Atlantic salmon 2,490 mg, wild salmon 2,000 mg and smoked herring 1,710 mg. One serving therefore easily covers almost all of the recommended daily intake.
Herring is often shunned, even though it is further up the food chain than large predators. Which limits the accumulation of heavy metals.
For its part, mackerel ticks almost all the boxes. Highly concentrated in omega 3, inexpensive, available fresh or in simple cans, it provides firm flesh that withstands cooking in the oven or grill well.
Salmon seduces with its taste and texture but it is a large predator which accumulates more pollutants throughout the food chain. Marmiton advises not to make it the only source of omega 3.
Limit pollutants while benefiting from omega 3
To enjoy these fish without exposing yourself too much to pollutants, Health Insurance advises varying the species and origins. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency recommend that pregnant women and children choose low-mercury species and limit the amount consumed.
In practice, marinated herring, grilled mackerel, baked salmon or a drained plain preserve already provide a dose of omega 3.