When is the best time to take DHA to make your baby smarter and healthier?

DHA is an essential structural component for the development of the brain, nervous system and eyes. Studies have shown that during pregnancy and lactation, if mothers take enough DHA, it will promote the baby's nervous system development, cognition and vision. The period from the late pregnancy to 2 years old is a critical period for the brain development of the fetus and infants. During this period, sufficient DHA intake must be ensured.

Where does DHA come from?

For mothers and babies, there are three sources of DHA:

1. Fish, especially deep-sea fish

Fish is the main dietary source of two n-3 (also known as ω-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA), namely docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). However, since the DHA content of each seafood is different, the intake of each fish and shrimp is different to achieve the recommended intake of DHA.

2. From linolenic acid

Linolenic acid is mainly found in flaxseed oil and sesame oil. After being ingested by the human body, it can be converted into DHA; however, according to relevant research results, the conversion rate is low, basically 3%.

3. Breast milk

For infants, breast milk is a good source of DHA. In order to contain enough DHA in breast milk for the baby's development, breastfeeding mothers need to reach the recommended intake of fish and DHA per week.

From the above sources, it can be concluded that the best food source for obtaining sufficient DHA is fish and shrimp, especially deep-sea fish.

For women who are preparing for pregnancy, pregnant or breastfeeding, choose fish rich in DHA and low in mercury, including: anchovies, Atlantic herring, salmon, Atlantic mackerel, mussels, farmed or wild salmon, sardines, trout, 1-3 times a week depending on the fish species.

On this basis, babies under 6 months old who are exclusively breastfed do not need to supplement DHA; for formula-fed babies, the DHA content should be calculated based on the amount of milk and the DHA content in the milk powder; for infants over 6 months old who are starting to eat complementary foods, in addition to the DHA contained in breast milk or formula, they still need to supplement it from fatty fish in complementary foods, such as salmon twice a week, 25g each time, for a total of 50g.