When it comes to eating healthy, you have probably heard a lot about Essential Fatty Acids…EFAs…or Omega 3s and Omega 6s. You also probably know that there is good reason to eat these, and that they are essential, pardon the pun, to a healthy diet. What you might not know, however, is that all Omegas are not created equal.
In truth, yes, both are important to a healthy diet. Why? Because they are fatty acids that your body can not produce on its own…as a result, you depend on the foods you eat to get them. They are good for us because they lower bad cholesterol, and support and regulate the cardiovascular, reproductive, immune and nervous systems. Further, they help to manufacture and repair cell membranes and maintain the oil barrier of the skin. The commonly unknown fact, however, is that the ratio in which you eat these EFAs is even more important than consuming them.
An ideal intake ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids is between 1:1 and 4:1. Unfortunately, American diets tend to have way too much Omega-6 in relation to Omega-3 fatty acids with ratios of 20:1 to 50:1. Why is this an issue? Because this imbalance can contribute to long-term diseases such as heart disease, cancer, asthma, arthritis, and depression. As a result, it is important to amp up your intake of Omega 3s.
How has this imbalance become so prevalent? In part, it is due to the abundance of Omega-6s in processed foods. Processed foods heavily rely on these oils to make foods taste good and have a longer shelf life. So how can you ensure you are getting enough of Omega-3s in your diet? Start eating these Omega-3 rich foods:
- Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower
- Cooked Soybeans
- Dried Ground Cloves
- Dried Ground Oregano
- Salmon, Halibut, Cod
- Seeds (Flax, mustard)
- Walnuts
And, start cutting back on some of these popular, and somewhat overused Omega-6s:
- Corn oil
- Safflower oil
- Sesame oil
- Sunflower oil
- Soybean oil
Other sources of Omega-6s to keep to a minimum include: Black currant seed oil, Borage oil, Evening Primrose oil, Hemp oil, Pumpkin oil, Walnut oil and Wheatgerm oil.
So next time you reach for the safflower or corn oil and think ‘It is an EFA, it must be good,’ make sure you are eating an equal amount of a food rich in Omega-3s.
Are you getting enough Omega-3s? Is your diet high in Omega-6s?
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I would just add a comment on the salmon. Be sure to buy organic salmon and not the common industrial breeded ones. The skin and the fat in the fish have been known to stock all kinds of pesticides and antibiotics. Industrially breeded salmon is pakced with toxic stuff.
In small children, Omega oil balance can dramaticly change brain function and behavior.
It is hard to believe what you read anymore,one health resource said one thing and another will say something different on the same vitamin,what are we suppose to believe?
I get Sams vitamins because they have better supplements.
I just bought Omega 3,6&9 I have been taking them for 7 years and my checkups from the Doctor have been normal.
I am 81 yr’s young and feel fine but when you read a report like this angers me . every one wants to sell there own supplements and claim they are better (and also more expensive).
This is a good article, however, I would stay away from soybeans. Soybeans are toxic, and even with vigorous processing they can’t get all the toxins out. Also, more doctors are saying that you should not feed anything soy to children, as it is not good for them.
What about the only vegetable oil that contains Omega 3?. This oil tolerates heat and can be used in cooking, frying and baking without the loss of the efa. To conveniently take the daily requirement of 15 to 20 ml of Omega 3, food prepared at home or what is produced in hotels, take aways etc can be produced mixing this vegetable oil in its preparation. For more details hsdes59@yahoo.com.
Thanks for this interesting article. As long as we have scientists studying health and the effects various factors have on it, we will continue to get newer information. Much of the what’s gathered is through numerous long-term studies involving tens of thousands of people and also considers new findings and more detailed information resultant from newer technology.
But we still have to have some skepticism in considering scientific research: Who stands to profit from a given outcome? Who paid for the study? A company that will profit from a certain finding? A government grant to a university? Or was it done by a or government or non-profit agency?
Just some thoughts to ponder …
These scientists do this all of the time. Food is good then the same is bad. I was told by the doctor Omega 3, 6, 9 are good and our body does not produce it on its own. I cannot afford salmon, but will go to the China Buffet once a week for the poached salmon.
For food I buy the Smart Start line of food which has Omega 3. The line is ever expanding from peanut butter to milk and butter. I buy Egglands Best eggs containing Omega 3. I also bought Mega Red Krill supplement containing Omega 3.
These doctors do me no good for my skin disorders. Their drugs and topicals are ineffective. I am managing my health through diet. My skin disorder is caused by a faulty immune system.
I only buy Wild Alaskan Salmon. I think it tastes better than Atlantic and the flesh looks better. Yes it might cost more but to me its worth it. And I agree with Flo the Farm Raised Salmon is crap…. in fact IMO all farm raised fish is crap… I live in New England we have the Grand Banks off our coastline and some other really kick ass fisheries. Why buy farm raised when you can get wild caught.
These food manufacturers need to held accountable for all the crap they are pushing us. Its no worse than a drug dealer. And they have been doing to use for years. I didn’t relize any of this till I had a heart attach and had to have several stints put in. Now I’m looking for things I did before. The crap we eat is really bad for us, all for the great dollar.
I think I agree with Dorris Ponstingl. You get confused reading all the healthy articles on papers, online, etc, and end up spending heavily on some beautiful nonsense. Eat this today, avoid same tomorrow…when will all these end!!! God created most foods for us to eat and be healthy but science and technology and too much quest for advanced knowledge is moving us away from all the beautiful foods created by God for man to live by. Who and what is the best for us consumers by the way??? I think the best way is to limit intake of everything, eat to moderation and exercise at least 3 times a week. And visiting and listening to the doctor is also encouraged but use your brain sometimes.
read and believe in Plan D by Dee McCaffrey if you want the real news on how to eat.
That artificially colored farm raised salmon is fed all kinds of stuff that wild salmon would never be interested/ exposed to eat in the wild. Soybeans just would be ignored by a salmon as a non-food choice. But mix it in with fish meal, and antibiotics, form it into a pellet, and make it an eat it or starve choice, and you get salmon laced with antibiotics, and an unnatural (for salmon)imbalance of omega 3 and 6. But you say, gee the salmon grow big when eating this fish food, so it cannot be all bad. Well, those farmed salmon are factory raised for people food, not for the salmon to live long lives, and reproduce many baby salmon.
Canned RED Salmon is wild caught. It is better than the farm-raised salmon. Of course the Bisphenol-A that may be in the can lining is not good, but the canned salmon is Omega 3 rich, and artificial color, antibiotic free.