The Vital Nutrient Most Aren't Getting

Omega- 3 fatty acids have been slowly working their way toward the bottom of the nutrient intake of America. Moreover, the ratio of Omega- 3's to Omega- 6's has completely been altered, with a current approximate ratio of 1:20. Early human's brains may have increased in size because of the high concentration of Omega 3s coming from their diet of fish. Even cows and chickens accumulate Omega 3s by eating a diet high in grasses and grubs when given the proper amount of time to mature. Instead, industrial farming has led producers to feed soybean and corn and speed the maturation process. While vegetables do contain Omega 3 fatty acids, the configuration is not easily extracted from the digestive system. The highest concentrations of Omega 3's, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), are found in seafood. Higher levels of DHA in neurons have been linked to more effective reception of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, while EPA has been shown to be a dampener of inflammation. In order to increase the amount of Omega 3's in the American Diet, companies are working to reduce the fatty acid to a tasteless powder, so that it may be added into any food.

Source: http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/omega-3-fatty-acids/page/2