People

Omega 3 fatty acids are among the healthy unsaturated fatty acids. You can find them in walnuts, vegetable oils, fatty fish (salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, trout). For people who often suffer from headaches, it is recommended to eat more oily fish and nuts. Is this true?

Research
American researchers had 182 (mainly female) patients follow a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids. The control group received regular food. The researchers monitored headaches via questionnaires.

Results
After 16 weeks, the frequency and severity of headaches decreased in the omega 3 group. The number of headache days per month decreased from 16 to 11 days.

Interpretation of result
It is not clear whether the better results are due to the higher supply of omega 3 fatty acids or to the foods that made up the diet. Most importantly, the intervention group experienced fewer headaches.

So: choose a healthy diet with sufficient omega 3 fatty acids.

However, getting enough omega 3 fatty acids through our diet is not simple. Fish such as cod contain almost no omega 3 fatty acids, unlike salmon and mackerel. If necessary, seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist.

(FVDV for Tagtik/Source: Gezondheid en Wetenschap/Illustration picture: Unsplash)