Recent reports on the health benefits of fish oil sound almost too good to be true. The omega-3 fatty acids that it contains have been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes and slow the formation of plaques in the arteries, and they may also lower blood pressure. Accordingly, the American Heart Association now recommends that healthy people eat fatty fish at least twice a week (individuals with heart disease should consume 1,000 milligrams of omega-3s per day and may want to discuss capsule supplements with their doctors). The latest studies go even further, demonstrating that the benefits of omega-3s extend beyond the heart and exploring exactly how these fatty acids do their good work in our bodies.