We have earlier discussed( through our blog) about importance of essential fatty acids in our diet & how omega-3 & omega-6 are vital for our body & overall health.
Today we are going to discuss how to balance Omega-3 & Omega-6 in our diet. However before that it is vital to give some insights on trans fat. FDA has recently ordered food manufacturers to stop using trans fat. Besides, the authority has even proposed to stop using partially hydrogenated oils(PHO). It is important to mention here that trans fat has been linked to cancer, obesity, metabolism issues, heart disease & alzheimer. Trans fat also promotes overall inflammation in the body. To make matters worse, it also leads to loss of memory, depression & reduced cognition.
If the FDA decision to eradicate PHO is implemented, food manufacturers & restaurants would be made to use high quality fats in their products. Type of fat your consume impacts overall growth of the body. Therefore 40% to 50% of calories in your diet should come from good fat specifically polyunsaturated essential fatty acids such as Omega-3 & Omega-6. Balancing both is really important for body’s development & overall health.
Different types of fat behave differently in your body. Most of these differences come from the shape of fat’s tail & stability of fat. Tail length in fat is important since it defines how your body processes them. The shorter the tail, the more rare & anti-inflammatory the fat is. It is recommended to consume more of fat with short to medium tail.
Fat’s stability plays an important role in selecting what fats to consume. The fats which are more stable do not have any room to allow a free radical to enter & oxidize the fat which may create inflammation. In this sense saturated fats are most stable & polyunsaturated are least stable. However it does not mean polyunsaturated & monounsaturated are bad for the body.Unstable fats have to be handled more carefully to make sure that they do not oxidise. Therefore avoid consuming processed fat or those exposed to high heat.
The two most important & essential fatty acids- Omega-3 & Omega-6 are polyunsaturated & highly unstable. These two are essential for your survival & your body cannot produce them. You have to take them from the outside food.
Omega-3 & Omega-6 exist in ratio of one another. There is a limit of two which your body can use. Therefore they end up competing for space. Omega 6 are inflammatory while Omega-3 are not. Although you need both, it is essential to optimal to maximise omega-3 & minimise Omega-6.
Omega-3 provides a launch pad that makes hormones which in turn regulate blood, heart & genetic functions. Omega-3 prevents heart disease & stroke & protect against cancer. Great sources of Omega-3 are wild salmon, algae oils, sardines, walnuts, flaxseeds, cauliflower & Brussel Sprouts.
Three common types of omega-3 fatty acids are:
- EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) – both come from animal sources. DHA keeps your nervous system functioning and provides anti-inflammatory benefits. Higher consumption correlates with improved mood, greater insulin sensitivity, increased muscle growth, and better sleep.
- ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) – This is a short chain fatty acid. It comes from plant sources, and most animals can’t really use it. It is therefore converted to DHA. For humans only 5% to 8% of these gets converted into DHA. That is the reason why chia seeds are not on the top of list when it comes to rich Omega-3 fatty acid sources. So folks selling chia seeds are quick to mention that they chia seeds are rich in Omega-3 but they fail to tell that omega-3 isn’t the right kind. This is the reason getting Omega-3 from animal sources is much more efficient.
The amount of omega-3 you should consume depends upon your Omega-6 consumption. Although Omega-6 is also essential for survival & body growth, they are not as beneficial as Omega-3. Omega-6 helps in brain function, muscle growth & hormone production but also leads to inflammation. So the idea is to have a sufficient amount of omega-6 & create a balance by consuming a lot of Omega-3.
For most of us a satisfactory ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 is 4:1. However experts recommend having a ratio of 1:1 or ever higher in favor of Omega-3. In the US & other western countries, the ratio varies from 10: 1 to 25:1. Reason for such a high ratio in these countries is the type of oil used. The most common source of Omega-6 is linoleic acid, found in corn oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, poultry, and some nuts and seeds. These oils are cheap to produce & hence a lot of companies use them in processed foods such as candies, cookies, popcorn, dairy creamer, frozen pizza & other snacks. Many of these oils are genetically modified with toxic solvents( to learn more about it, check our blog).
Omega-6 oils are made up of polyunsaturated fats which are highly unstable. Cooking these oils at high heat, deep frying & microwaving would lead to its oxidation. This will in turn damage your DNA, inflames your heart & raises your risk for various types of cancers.
When companies use /sell these oils in packaged form, they stabilise them by a process called hydrogenation which essentially increases their shelf life. This process takes already harmful fats & converts them into synthetic trans fat which are even worse for your body.
The prevalence of vegetable oil and processed grains in Western diets has contributed to chronic inflammation, cancer, heart attack, and many of the other common health problems.
Key takeaway
Omega-3 & Omega-6 are essential fatty acids which are required for growth & development of your vital organs. However since these are highly unstable & given that Omega-6 causes inflammation while Omega-3 is anti-inflammatory, Passion for Fitness recommends everyone to consume Omega 6 to Omega-3 in range of 1:1 to 4:1.
