Everyone’s talking about the health benefits of Omega 3 and Omega 6 – from helping to keep your heart in peak condition, to looking after your skin – but what are they, what do they do and where can you find them? Omega-3 and -6 are types of essential fatty acids, which mean we cannot make them on our own and have to obtain them from our diet.
The benefits of omega-3 include, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, while helping to reduce symptoms of hypertension, depression, ADD, joint pain and other rheumatoid problems. Some research has shown that omega-3 can boost the immune system and help protect us from an array of illnesses including Alzheimer’s disease. Research indicates that omega-3 encourages the production of body chemicals that help control inflammation in the joints, the bloodstream and the tissue, thus is stating that it has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Researchers now believe that omega-3 is particularly beneficial in protecting against heart and blood vessel disease and for lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Randomized clinical trials have shown that approximately 1000 mg/day of omega-3 fatty acids from a fish oil supplement may decrease the risk of heart diseases and epidemiological studies indicate that regular consumption of an average of 2 servings of fatty fish per week is associated with a 30-40% reduced risk of death from heart diseases. Omega-3 is also a natural blood thinner; it reduces the stickiness of blood cells, which can lead to such complications as blood clots and stroke.
But just as important is omega-3 ability to reduce the negative impact of yet another essential type of fatty acid known as omega-6. Omega-6 are also considered essential as it supports the generation of skin and hair, helps to maintain health of bones, regulates metabolism and assists with reproductive health. But when omega-6 isn’t balanced with sufficient amounts of omega-3, problems can occur. Research indicates that high omega-6 fatty acids shift the physiological state to pro-inflammatory.
Sources of omega-3:
- Oily fish: salmon, mackerel, herring, black cod, blue fish, sardines, anchovies
- Vegetarian sources: walnuts and flaxseeds
- Omega-3 enriched foods
- Omega-3 supplements
There are only a few sources of omega-3, and very little people consume enough of the above mentioned food sources to meet their daily nutritional requirements of omega-3 and the use of a supplement often needs to be considered.
Sources of omega-6:
- Egg yolks
- Milk
- Poultry and meat
Cereal
- Vegetable oils, such as sunflower oil, corn oil, soy and safflower oil
Baked goods
Margarine
It is much easier to take in omega-6 through the diet as the food sources of omega-6 are much more readily available and therefore consumed by the average person.
Although the body needs both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to thrive, most people consume far more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. Many experts now recommend consuming a better balance of these two EFAs. An ideal balance is believed to be a (1:1) one-to-one ratio of Omega-6 essential fatty acids to Omega-3 essential fatty acids. Most individuals are getting a ratio of about (26:1) rather than (1:1).
There is no established recommended daily intake for omega-3 fats. However, it is clear that a healthy diet containing significant amounts of foods rich in omega-3 fats is necessary for optimum health. Increasing the intake of omega-3 fatty acids will naturally bring the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids back into a healthier, 2:1 or (optimally) a 1:1 balance.
For therapeutic supplementation, 2000mg of EPA and 1000mg of DHA per day is a common recommendation.
Cut down on omega-6 levels by reducing your consumption of processed foods, baked goods and vegetable oils. Use extra virgin olive oil for cooking and in salads. Eat more oily fish, take an omega-3 supplement if needed and use walnuts, flaxseed and omega-3 enriched foods.
Written By: Dieticians At Work Team