By stimulating the formation of the brain and eyesight
Surely we have heard of fatty acids, polyunsaturated, omega 3, omega 6, DHA, as mentioned in the advertising of infant formula. What are they? What is the importance of them?
Fatty acids are lipids and their chemical form are classified as saturated and unsaturated. Among the latter are the famous omega 6 (arachidonic acid) and omega 3 (docosahexaenoic acid, the famous DHA), which make up over 25% of the brain and nervous system, therefore, are extremely important for training and development of these important tissues.
What happens to time devepment of the nervous system
From about the first week of gestation to 5 years of age, being the most critical stages between the last trimester of pregnancy and 2 years old. And most interesting is that the liver of infants (in which case the formation of these fatty acids from the union of smaller pieces) is still not ready to do this work at the rate that children in need. That is why almost all the important contribution of these substances come from the mother, through their diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding during the first 6 months. After that, the main contribution will come from the baby’s diet.
The role of these lipids is to generate and allow transport of the electrical impulse between neurons and substances. Something similar occurs in visual function, which is an outgrowth of the nervous system. Depends on them and light the image becomes a signal that the brain can interpret.
Infant formulas attempt to incorporate these fatty acids so that they are as close as possible to human milk, but has not yet been fully achieved.
Pregnant women should be very attentive to consume foods that provide the right amount of these fatty acids, as most foods do not have announcement contained in the right proportion, as usually abundant omega 6 and omega 3 is low . Fish and shellfish contain the ideal ratio.