Wednesday, July 23, 2014

The Difference Between Omega 3 and Omega 6

Hello everyone!


Something that I have heard about on and off is about Omega 3 and Omega 6 acids.  However, I didn't know exactly why they are important and good for you, how much to eat, etc.

What I found out wasn't quite what I expected!

These are actually very good for you, and modern people aren't getting enough of them.  At least in comparison to Omega 6.  These Omega 3 acids are good for you mainly because they are very anti-inflammatory.  Omega 6 acids are very PRO inflammatory, meaning they promote inflammation in the body and that's not really a good thing.


Some Omega-3 Rich foods

Omega 3 acids are found in foods like cold water fish, Omega 6 is in lots of processed foods and other things we should not really be eating. 

Despite the fact that Omega 6 acids are inflammatory, they are still essential acids that we do, in fact, need. 

The key here is balance. The ideal healthy ratio is 4:1 - meaning 4 parts Omega 6 to 1 part Omega 3.  This was supposedly the balance that our ancestors ate, and the only modern society that still eats this way is the Japanese.  This is a big possibility why they are some of the healthiest people despite having a lot of unhealthy habits like heavy smoking. 

So, aside from fish oil/flax oil supplements, what other food give us Omega 3?

Coldwater fish (like salmon), walnuts, grass-fed beef (NOT grain-fed beef, this is high in omega 6) and olive oil (but, do not heat the olive oil! Use it more like a dip or dressing)

No comments:

Post a Comment