Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats What?

Not all plant fat is good fat.

Omega-3 and -6 fats are essential fatty acids. This means they are necessary for health and they cannot be made by humans so they must be consumed in the diet. They are both types of polyunsaturated fats common in the western diet. In, omega-6 fats are consumed in amounts roughly 20 times that of omega-3 fats. This can cause serious long-term health effects. The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in the diet is probably around 1:1 to 4:1. The ratio in the modern American diet is closer to 20:1.

Omega-6 fats are readily converted to arachadonic acid, a precursor to pro-inflammatory prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). These inflammatory molecules are important causative agents in arthritis as well as blood vessel wall inflammation that can lead to blood clots causing heart attack and stroke. Additionally, diets high in omega-6 fats are associated with depression, and one study shows supplementing with omega-3 fat lead to improved length of remission in bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder. Psoriasis is another condition linked to high omega-6 fat intake.

Omega-3 fats have important roles in human health. Omega-3 fatty acids inhibit the formation of PGE2 in favor of PGE3, an anti-inflammatory prostaglandin that helps keep platelets from sticking together, preventing blood clots. These fats lower cholesterol and have anti-inflammatory effects that counterbalance the pro-inflammatory effects of omega-6 fats. Both types of fat are necessary in the diet, but the omega-3 fats should be sought out preferentially because of their health benefits. One caution: more is not better. Diets too high in omega-3 and too low in omega-6 fats can cause difficulty with blood clotting.

Foods high in omega-3 fats include flax (linseed) oil, deep coldwater fish such as sardines, tuna, and wild salmon. Omega-6 fats are present in cottonseed (commonly used for frying in the fast food industry), sunflower, safflower, sesame, corn, rice-bran, soy, peanut, grape seed and wheat oils. Canola oil is a good source of omega-3 fat, but has roughly 3 times the omega-6 than omega-3 fat, so other sources are needed to achieve the desired ratio.

For those who do not eat a lot of cold-water fish, there are options. The old standard, cod liver oil, is inexpensive and has lots of vitamins A and D to boot. Of course, the taste is pretty bad, so get cod liver oil in capsules. You’ll pay more, but you’ll be able to get them down. Flaxseed oil supplements to meet the 2-3 gram daily intake would cost approximately 15 to 60 cents per day, certainly cheaper than fresh salmon. Three grams of flaxseed oil is 27 calories, a fraction of the day’s allotment.

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