It has been found that the DHA levels in breast milk vary widely in different countries and cultures. Trends
indicate that DHA levels are higher in countries where fish is consumed regularly, for example coastal regions like Japan.
Studies have shown that the higher the DHA level in your breast milk, the higher the DHA levels in the blood of your breast-fed child¹.
To boost the DHA levels in your breast milk, it is recommended that your diet should be rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and more specifically, DHA. Food rich with omega-3 and DHA include salmon, sardines, tuna, fish oils, and vegetable oils like flaxseed, soy and canola. Non-aquatic sources include fortified foods like eggs, bread and juice, walnuts and dark green vegetables².
|
 |
|
 |
A study was conducted across a number of diverse populations to
determine the human milk fatty acid composition from 9 countries.
Approximately 50 breast milk samples were collected from women in
Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Japan, Mexico, Philippines, the United
Kingdom, and the United States.
The proportion of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were relatively constant across all countries, but the level of some polyunsaturated fatty acids like DHA were found to be highly variable. The highest levels were found in Japanese breast milk while the lowest were in Canadian and U.S. samples.
Read the full abstract of this research paper here. |
|
|
