MIAMI: Fish oils are touted as being among the healthiest fats to eat – dampening inflammation and reducing the risk of heart disease.
But a new study analysing the genetic make-up of Inuits suggests that this assumption is too simplistic.
Research has revealed that the Inuit people and their Siberian ancestors possess genetic mutations related to fat metabolism, suggesting that the benefits they reap from high levels of omega-3 fatty acids do not necessarily extend to the worldwide population.
For Inuits, these mutations help counteract the harmful effects of a diet high in marine mammal fat, mostly from seals and whales.