Do omega-3 fatty acids have the power to deliver us from evil? There's a lot of buzz about super foods and all their super powers these days, but the hype about omega-3's goes beyond buzz; these fatty acids found in fish, flaxseed, some nuts and plants, as well as meat, eggs, and dairy products from grass-fed animals, are hotter than a barrel of Arctic Monkeys.

The latest news is that omega-3's may have the (super) power to curb violent crime; several studies suggest that fatty acids could be an antidote to antisocial behavior, because "omega-3's foster the growth of neurons in the brain's frontal cortex, the bit of gray matter that controls impulsive behavior. Having enough of these fatty acids may keep violent impulses in check," according to an article in Sunday's New York Times.

Seafood is one of the best sources of omega-3's, hence the saying "fish is brain food." If you thought this theory was some old fishwive's tale, recent reports will make you think again.

Take the case of Randal McCloy Jr., the sole survivor in the Sago mining disaster back in January. McCloy, who suffered severe brain damage in that terrible accident, was fed mega-doses of omega-3's intravenously in order to help his brain heal better.

I e-mailed the article to a friend who's three months pregnant, after reading that "expectant mothers who take omega-3 supplements have children who score higher on intelligence tests." A recent sonogram showed her baby waving hello from the womb, so the kid already shows signs of being a smarty pants, but still; you want to give your child every possible advantage.

Michael Pollan cites these findings, too, in the second section of The Omnivore's Dilemma, entitled "Grass." Pollan explains that meat, eggs, and milk from pastured animals contain significant amounts of omega-3's, unlike products from their grain-fed cousins cooped up in all those CAFO's.

"Much research into the role of omega-3's in the human diet remains to be done, but the preliminary findings are suggestive: Researchers report that pregnant women who receive supplements of omega-3's give birth to babies with higher I.Q.'s; children with diets low in omega-3's exhibit more behavioral and learning problems at school; and puppies eating diets high in omega-3's prove easier to train," writes Pollan.

Aha! So maybe Marley, the lovable but incorrigible lab immortalized in John Grogan's Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog, simply suffered from a lack of omega-3's in his diet!

A bit of salmon now and then might have kept Marley out of the doghouse, but then that might have kept his owner off the New York Times Best Seller list, where he's currently Number One. But look out, John and Marley; Michael Pollan's book is blazing up the charts, and eating up your lead. Must be all that grass-fed momentum.