| Quantitative and qualitative research into the attitudes of Gen Y consumers found significant awareness of omega-3s among 21- to 28-year-olds, notes Nielsen. One member of a focus group had recently ordered fish because of the omega-3 content. “He was aware of the fact that fish is a healthy source of omega-3s,” she says. “What we found across the board, and mostly with our qualitative studies, was a high awareness of nutrition among the Gen Y group. They have a better awareness of nutrients, which nutrients are good for you, and how you’re supposed to eat than previous generations did.” This nutritional awareness is characteristic among Americans in this age group, notes Nielsen. “We were just really struck by this starting point of greater awareness of nutrition just as a group. We were really impressed with the health-minded nature of Gen Y, and we feel that they will be prime targets for health messaging in the future. “This bodes well for foodservice,” continues Nielsen, “because they are going to be, most likely, promoting naturally healthy ingredients and calling out health benefits on the menu of walnuts, flaxseeds and, obviously, all the fish.” Kate Harrigan is a freelance writer and editor specializing in food and travel. She lives in Massachusetts. The ABCs of Three Key 3s Threes arrive in abundance when it comes to omega-3 fatty acids, and the three-letter acronyms that hit the top of the list are DHA, EPA and ALA. Although the complete list of omega-3s found in nature extends well beyond this trio, nutrition science has tapped the following essential polyunsaturated fatty acids as vital to human health: - Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Key dietary sources: cod, herring, krill, mackerel, menhaden, salmon, sardines, shellfish and tuna, as well as marine algae.
- Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Key dietary sources: same as DHA. Converts to DHA in the body.
- Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Key dietary sources: canola oil, chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp oil, perilla seeds, soybeans, soybean oil and walnuts. Converts to EPA and DHA in the body.
—Douglas J. Peckenpaugh, Editor/Associate Publisher Pages: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 |
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