TOP TEN HEALTHY EATING STORIES

4. Fish does your body and brain good

A wave of studies drove home one point this year: Americans need to eat more fish and get sufficient omega-3s, the fatty acids found in cold-water species like tuna. The benefits seem to begin in infancy; one study found that moms who ate fish and breast-fed conferred better physical and cognitive development on their infants. Babies who start eating fish before the age of 9 months also have a lower risk of developing eczema, and another study found that daily supplements of omega-3 fatty acids reduced deaths and hospitalizations of people with heart failure.


In more surprising news, Japanese men have lower rates of coronary artery disease, even though they smoke and have other heart risk factors. The apparent reason: a lifelong, near-daily consumption of fish. People with depression also seem to benefit from eating more fish and/or taking omega-3 supplements