Mainstream media now citing ridiculous junk science to discredit omega-3s

Wednesday, September 01, 2010 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
Tags: junk science, omega 3, health news

(NaturalNews) A study out of the Netherlands has put the mainstream media in a mindless tizzy about the health effects of omega-3 fatty acids. Because a group of people fed four teaspoons of omega-3-enriched margarine a day for more than three years did not experience a reduction in heart events, many media outlets are foolishly reporting that omega-3s are not as beneficial as commonly believed.

Margarine, as many people now know, is a synthetic, hydrogenated food product that is actually not a food at all. It is a product composed of synthetic trans-fatty acids that are highly toxic and harmful to health. Margarine is exactly the type of substance that causes heart attacks and cardiovascular illness, making it ridiculous to include as part of a health study.

"[T]rans-fatty acids not only increase the likelihood of a variety of metabolic disorders including arthritis and cancer, but also contribute to heart disease," explains Paul Pitchford in his book Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition. "In the United States, 95 percent of trans-fatty acid ingestion is from eating margarine and shortening."

So just because a toxic food product is enhanced with low levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids does not mean that it will help people to avoid a heart attack. But it is precisely this flawed methodology that the media has preyed upon in an effort to debunk the true health-promoting benefits from omega-3s.

Ironically, a study conducted several years ago found that women who consume four or more teaspoons of margarine a day are 66 percent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than women who consume less than one teaspoon a month. In other words, margarine is directly responsible for causing heart disease.

But these facts have not stopped the media from initiating what appears to be a misinformation campaign designed to deceive the public into thinking that omega-3s are not all that great. Do not be fooled.

Foods and oils naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and balanced in terms of omega-6 fatty acids, will do wonders to promote health and prevent disease. These include foods like hemp and flax oils, wild fish and chia seeds.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,85...

http://www.naturalpedia.com/C/Cardiovascular...

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nut...