Skip to main content

Omega-3 vs Omega-6 Fatty Acids



There is a ton of evidence (see resources below, for a few samples) that discusses the relationship between Omega-3 (ω-3) and Omega-6 (ω-6) fatty acids, especially when it comes to achieving a healthy ratio of the two. A healthy ratio would be 3:1 ω-3 to ω-6, however, the current American diet is estimated to be closer to 1:16. Inflammation is thought to be one primary method for the development of damage to the inside of arteries leading to increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

ω-6: Polyunsaturated type of fatty acid, contains a double bond at the #6 carbon (and more at every 3rd carbon after)
  • Double bonds are more susceptible to oxidation, making them more volatile and able to interact with other fats nearby, leading to cell damage/death
  • Are Pro-inflammatory (by way of the formation into Arachidonic Acid (AA), then thromboxanes, prostaglandins, and leukotrienes)
  • Typical food sources are corn, soy, and their processed oils

Omega-3 fatty acids work in opposition to Omega-6 fatty acids in the body by acting as an Anti-inflammatory agent, reducing the inflammation in the body and preventing damage to arteries. Foods high in Omega-3's include:
  • Walnuts, flaxseed, chia seeds, and their processed oils
  • Cold-water fish such as salmon (see above), sardines, anchovies, herring, albacore tuna, and mackerel
  • green leafy vegetables like spinach and brussels sprouts, as well as cauliflower, a variety of winter squashes herbs like purslane
  • any type of animal meat or byproduct with high dietary intake of the above foods: for example grass-fed livestock and wild game have the higher Omega-3 content in their meats and eggs (hence why wild salmon, who eat more Omega-3-rich algae, have higher Omega-3 content than corn-fed farmed salmon, which are higher in Omega-6)
It turns out you really are what you eat; at least animals are.


Resources
  1. Hodson L, Eyles HC, McLachlan KJ, Bell ML, Green TJ, and Skeaff CM. Plasma and erythrocyte fatty acids reflect intakes of saturated and n-6 PUFA within a similar time frame. J Nutr. 2014; 144:33-41.
  2. Bazinet RP and Layé S. Polyunsaturated fatty acids and their metabolites in brain function and disease. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2014; 15:771-785. 
  3. Patterson E, Wall R, Fitzgerald GF, Ross RP, and Stanton C. Health implications of high omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. J Nutr Metab. 2012; 2012:539426. Doi: 10.1155/2012/539426.
  4. Simopoulos AP. The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids. Biomed Pharmacother. 2002 Oct; 56(8):365-379.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Know Your Expert

Hello all, I had another topic for my blog this week, but I have been sidetracked with a number of discussions from curious clients, patients, coworkers, and friends about how to tell the difference between all the nutrition information out there and who to trust. This is a very tricky task, especially to the "untrained" eye of the public consumer just looking for a few helpful tricks to lose weight or feel healthier. Here are a few things to watch out for and consider. First of all, there are 3 types of professionals in the field of nutrition. The most highly trained and well versed are Registered Dietitians, who must complete a Bachelors degree at an accredited university (found here ), then complete a 1200 hour internship in the areas of food service management, community nutrition, and clinical nutrition. After that they much pass a national registration exam and maintain accreditation by completing 75 hour of continuing education every 5 years. There are additional s
Post a Comment
Read more

The Truth About Palm Oil

By now you've probably at least heard of trans fats, but may not know much about them. Are they good or bad for our health? What are they? Here's the quick and dirty: In response to the bad science erupting in the 1970's regarding heart disease and saturated fat consumption, the food industry created an alternative type of fat, trans fatty acids. These fats are made by applying high heat and pressure, along with some type of metal catalyst such as nickel, platinum, or palladium, to a fat (usually vegetable oil) to saturate, or fill up, all the bond sites. This alternative was used to create a similar tasting fat in processed foods, but without all the heart attacks and strokes. What was discovered much later was that heart disease continued to soar while saturated fat consumption was down, leading to the realization that trans fats were actually worse on heart health than the previous saturated fats, which is why the FDA ruled that by the end of 2018 all manufacturers mus
Post a Comment
Read more

Superbowl Snacks That Are Also Healthy

Football + Family and Friends gathering usually equals a lot of not-so-healthy food options. This year encourage your Superbowl party to support your health AND your team with these recipes that also deliver on flavor! Quinoa Chili Fries: https://meatlessmonday.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8f9935158441b7563030ecd70&id=0a0a3b8510&e=c328ae49d2 Cauliflower Buffalo Wings Bites: http://www.meatlessmonday.com/recipes/cauliflower-buffalo-wing-bites/?utm_source=Meatless+Monday&utm_campaign=4aa0b52d48-MM_Newsletter_1_29_2018&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_de1349b88c-4aa0b52d48-67562805 Eggplant Fries with Wasabi mayo: 2 Eggplants 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp wasabi powder 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, then cut the eggplants lengthwise into fry-like strips and place on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and and little salt and pepper, then bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove, re-season with salt and pepper, and let cool
Post a Comment
Read more