In addition to an aversion to the number four and an affinity towards the color red, an emphasis on the consumption of fish is one of the many Chinese “myths” that my mother made sure to emphasize throughout my childhood. But, as it turns out, eating fish to increase intelligence is a Chinese superstition that, to some degree, holds true as it helps brain development and aids in maintaining brain function.

Fish Aids Brain Development

Eating fish, namely the omega-3 fatty acids within the fish, is extremely important to the growth of the brain during pregnancy and the early years of a child’s life. When about sixty percent of our brain consists of fat and about eighty-five percent of our brain grows before preschool, it is imperative to focus on the consumption of the essential fatty acids that make up our brain to help with this growth. 

The reason we target omega-3 fatty acids is because they break up into a long molecule called decosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is the main building block for the central nervous system and retina/visual cortex. In fact, studies have shown that infants whose mothers consumed supplementary essential fatty acids and DHA scored higher in mental processing, psychomotor development, and hand-eye coordination at the age of four than mothers who did not consume supplements. 

Unfortunately, our bodies lack the capability of creating enough essential fatty acids that are necessary to our cognitive development in our early years. So, emphasis on fatty acid consumption, such as eating more fish, is important during pregnancy and the early years of childhood.

Fish Aids Brain Maintenance

The importance of the essential fatty acids in the diet is not limited to childhood, but also has shown to increase the quality of life as time goes on. Mainly, we focus on the another main component of omega-3 fatty acid: alpha-linolenic acid. It has been proven that a deficiency in this acid can lead to impairment in many aspects of the brain and, consequently, result in a decrease in quality of life.

Decreases in Omega-3 Fatty Acids Can Disrupt Brain Function

Specifically, alpha-linolenic acid deficiency has been correlated with impairment of the frontal cortex as well as the pituitary gland within the brain. The frontal cortex deals primarily with judgment and abstract thinking while the pituitary gland controls the hormones within the body. So, it is no surprise that a change in their structure (in our case, from a lack of omega-3 fatty acid) has shown to be associated with behavioral issues such as decreased emotional response to stimuli and decreased adaptation to new situations.

How Can Fish Help?

As it turns out, intaking higher amounts of omega-3 from fish and/or other essential fatty acids may be able to partially reverse abnormalities caused by earlier lower levels of fatty acid intake. We focus on fish since it has been shown that fatty acid intake from animals is preferred over fatty acid intake from plants. This is due to the fact that fatty acids from animals are structurally favored over those from plants and can help aid in the reconstruction of the brain more effectively. 

Additionally, many studies have suggested that increase in fish intake may decrease risk for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disorder, dementia, and stroke. Oddly enough, they come to the conclusion that simply intaking omega-3 supplements shows no correlation with these decreased risks. Instead, it is the consumption of fish that could result in these positive effects. Some hypothesize that these results may be due to the combination of other rich nutrients that fish provide in addition to the omega-3 fatty acids. 

The importance of fish in our diets should not be overlooked as it is not only essential for brain development throughout our childhood, but also the maintenance of our brain function throughout our lives. Understanding these advantages allows us to sustain all qualities of life for as long as we can. And, despite a possible discomfort towards the taste of fish, it is hard to refute that the benefits of eating fish are anything less than appetizing.