Omega 6 and Omega 3 Fatty Acids
When we eat a meal we never think about the macronutrients that we are consuming. Our food is broken down into carbohydrates, fats and proteins. The food is vital as fuel for the body. But some macronutrients are more essential than others.
Nutrition expert Casey Thaler, B.A., NASM-CPT, FNS sums it up well with, “It is important to note, however, that while there is no such thing as an “essential carbohydrate,” there are “essential fats.”
The body can’t make fats they have to be a part of the diet. These fats (fatty acids or lipids) serve an important role in maintenance and energy.
A 2014, meta-analysis reviewed 60 years of studies in the “Annals of Internal Medicine.” It discussed the importance of dietary fatty acids. These fatty acids are primarily designated unsaturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated. They appear in food in various combinations as fat molecules.
Fat molecules have chemical chains of various lengths. These chains indicate the number of hydrogen atoms. For example medium chain fatty acids (MCTs) have fewer hydrogen links than long chain fatty acids (LCTs).
The general rule is that the fewer the lengths the greater the health benefits. Although Omega-3s are technically considered to have a long chain structure they have a multitude of healthy effects.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 can best be described as an essential fatty acid (EFA). It comes in several forms like docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). The most common way that omega-3 is known, is as fish oil.
Omega-3s are polyunsaturated fats.
They have a multitude of health benefits to offer. They are the ultimate anti-inflammatory. Omega-3 is healthy for the heart. It lowers the risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and type 2 diabetes. Most of its benefits come from the effect these EFA’s have on and regulating brain and nerve function.
The omega-3s also aid in reducing blood clots, lowering blood pressure and inflammation. They lower triglycerides by creating a healthy blood flow.
Omega-3 fatty acids are important for the brain development of babies.
Fish oil is the main and best source of omega-3 fatty acids. There are also some plant sources like canola oil, walnuts and flaxseeds.
- Omega-6 Fatty Acids
Omega-6 fatty acids are also a polyunsaturated essential fat (PUFA).
Like the omega-3s they can’t be produced in our bodies and must be introduced as foods.
They also have a variety of health benefits. These fats help with brain function, human growth and development.
As a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), omega-6s help stimulate skin and hair growth, maintain bone health, regulate metabolism, and maintain the reproductive system.
Omega-6 fatty acids are consumed mostly as vegetable oils, like linoleic acid (LA).
Finding a Balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6
A healthy diet need the right balance of essential fats. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids need the proper balance since omega-3’s help reduce inflammation, and some omega-6’s cause inflammation.
Some studies even suggest that large consumption of omega-6 fatty acids can create unhealthy conditions.
The typical Western diet contains 15 to 1 or a 16 to 1 omega-3 to omega-6 ratio. Remember that the omega-3’s from fish are probably the healthiest fat around.
A standard Western diet may not have enough omega-3s included.
Artemis Simopolous, MD, Director of the Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health located in Washington DC is an expert on essential fats. He recommends that, “The ideal ratio is one to one or two to one, omega-6 to omega-3.” He also claims that omega-6 fatty acids may not be as vital as omega-3 fatty acids. Dr. Simopolous sums it up with, “Unfortunately, the American diet has been flooded with omega-6 fatty acids, mostly in the form of vegetable oils such as corn oil and safflower oil.”
Americans might be healthier if they cut back on oils high in omega-6s and used more oils that have omega-3s (canola oil,flaxseed oil).
The point is that most fish is filled with the inflammation reducing omega-3’s.
There is a lot of evidence that the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in omega-3s is responsible for keeping a heart healthy.
The American Heart Association says that if you don’t have heart disease you need to eat at least two to three servings of fish a week. A serving is 3.5 ounces of any variety of cooked fatty fish. If you do have any type of heart condition or disease try and include a daily serving of omega-3.
Food Sources for Omega-3 and Omega-6
Certainly best source of omega-3 is fish. Salmon,tuna, mackerel, trout, sardines,swordfish and anchovies all have a high omega-3 content.
It can also be found in green leafy vegetables. Spinach, collard greens, kale, and broccoli supply omega-3 to the diet.
Some nuts and seeds like walnuts, chia, almonds, and pistachios are a sources of both omega-3 and omega-6.
There are also omega-3 fatty acids present in avocados and grass-fed beef.
Other foods that contain omega-3s include flaxseed oil, which has about 55%. Canola oil contains roughly 10%. Soybean oil has 7% omega-3 fats.
It might be a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider or doctor to determine if you can take supplements as a source of omega-3. Fish oil is also known to be a supplement. Since the healthy benefits are in the EPA and DHA it may be possible to use them as a nutritional supplement.
It’s important to fill your plate with the right macronutrients. And it’s essential that you consume omega-3 and omega-6 in your diet.
Sources:
US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, Abstract, Biomed Pharmacother. 2002 Oct;56(8):365-79. “The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids.”