New studies link omega-3 oils with diabetes prevention

Two new pieces of research have shown that three different kinds of omega-3 fatty acids could help prevent type 2 diabetes, in addition to its reported health benefits in combating a range of conditions including heart attacks, stoke and dementia .
As a type of polyunsaturated fat present in fish and seafood such as salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel and anchovies, as well as plant-based foods such as flax oil, soybeans walnuts and canola oil, omega-3 was shown to lower the risk of diabetes .
Both studies, which were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, came to this surprising conclusion. The first, which involved monitoring over 3,000 people over the age of 65, showing that higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood was able to reduce diabetes risk, while the second assessed the intake of omega-3 fat in more than 43,000 Chinese adults aged between 45 and 74. This research found that taking an omega-3 fat called alpha linolenic acid (ALA) was strongly protective from diabetes.
The distinct types of omega-3 fatty acids were also seen to metabolise differently in the body, meaning they can have different effects in cells. ALA is believed to be the best at improving the body’s use of insulin, which helps remove sugar from the bloodstream .