Omega Fatty Acid
Most everyone has heard of the importance of having a diet rich in essential fatty acids, but few people really know what that means. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are fatty acids that humans and other animals must consume from foods. This because the body requires them, but can’t make them on its own.
To biochemists, there are only two EFAs:
1. alpha-linolenic acid, which is an omega-3 fatty acid
2. linoleic acid, which is an omega-6 fatty acid
Some scientists consider gamma linolenic acid (an omega-6), lauric acid (saturated fatty acid), and palmitoleic acid (monounsaturated fatty acid) as conditionally essential.
Then many writers and nutritionists further complicate matters by calling arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and oleic acid (an omega 9 from olive oil) essential fatty acids in their communications.
Let’s eliminate some of the labeling confusion, and just refer to all of these as fatty acids. Let’s go back to the starting sentence and change it a bit.
Most everyone has heard of the importance of having a diet rich in fatty acids, but almost no one really knows what that means. Here is some basic education.
The fatty acids generally can be categorized as Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9.
Omega 3 fatty acids are an essential part of the structure of every cell in the body as an integral component of the cell membrane. This cell integrity enables each cell to accomplish its function. They are also powerful anti inflammatory substances. Sources of omega 3’s are primarily found in plant, nut, and cold water fish oils, such as salmon, tuna, anchovies, mackerel, and sardines.
Omega-6 fatty acids also play an essential role in the metabolism, especially for the brain, hair, skin and reproductive systems. They do have a down side, however, in that they are pro inflammatory.
Sources of omega 6 fatty acids are a wide range of cooking oils, meats, and processed foods.
Most everyone has heard of the importance of having a diet rich in essential fatty acids, but few people really know what that means. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are fatty acids that humans and other animals must consume from foods. This because the body requires them, but can’t make them on its own.
To biochemists, there are only two EFAs:
1. alpha-linolenic acid, which is an omega-3 fatty acid
2. linoleic acid, which is an omega-6 fatty acid
Some scientists consider gamma linolenic acid (an omega-6), lauric acid (saturated fatty acid), and palmitoleic acid (monounsaturated fatty acid) as conditionally essential.
Then many writers and nutritionists further complicate matters by calling arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and oleic acid (an omega 9 from olive oil) essential fatty acids in their communications.
Let’s eliminate some of the labeling confusion, and just refer to all of these as fatty acids. Let’s go back to the starting sentence and change it a bit.
Most everyone has heard of the importance of having a diet rich in fatty acids, but almost no one really knows what that means. Here is some basic education.
The fatty acids generally can be categorized as Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9.
Omega 3 fatty acids are an essential part of the structure of every cell in the body as an integral component of the cell membrane. This cell integrity enables each cell to accomplish its function. They are also powerful anti inflammatory substances. Sources of omega 3’s are primarily found in plant, nut, and cold water fish oils, such as salmon, tuna, anchovies, mackerel, and sardines.
Omega-6 fatty acids also play an essential role in the metabolism, especially for the brain, hair, skin and reproductive systems. They do have a down side, however, in that they are pro inflammatory.
Sources of omega 6 fatty acids are a wide range of cooking oils, meats, and processed foods.
Omega 9 fatty acids increase HDL and help rid the body of LDL. Omega 9 is oleic acid and comes
from olive oil and avocados.
What most of you haven’t heard about are the dangers in consuming too many Omega 6 fatty
acids in comparison to Omega 3’s. This imbalance is believed to be contributing to various factors
that are leading to chronic diseases, most notably heart disease.
The ideal proportion of Omega 3 to Omega 6 in the diet would be 1:1 or perhaps even an outside range of 1:2. Due to the high levels of Omega 6 fatty acids found in the foods we typically eat in America, the ratios are commonly between 1:10 and 1:50. Some researchers have found an accurate number to be around 1:25. That means the average person eats 25 times as many Omega 6 fatty acids as is healthy for them!
This is a very strong risk factor in heart disease as excess Omega 6 fats interfere with the health benefits of Omega 3 fats, in part because they compete for the same enzymes. A high proportion of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fat in the diet shifts the body’s chemistry and physiology toward the development of many prothrombotic, proinflammatory and pro constrictive diseases,, especially heart disease.
Chronic excess consumption of Omega 6’s are highly associated with heart attacks, thrombotic stroke, arrhythmia, inflammation, high blood pressure and obesity.
In order to find out if fatty acid proportion is a risk factor for you, you need to undergo simple blood fatty acid testing. This tells you whether you have a proper ratio of all the various fatty acids. The test measures total amounts of the main fats: saturated and unsaturated and then breaks them down into Omega 3-6-9 so you can see the ratios. It also measures the specific levels of the pro inflammatory Omega 6’s linoleic acid, gamma linolenic acid and arachidonic acid versus anti inflammatory Omega 3’s, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
The average physician may be unfamiliar with this test and in some cases even be unwilling to order it since many do not understand even the basic written here.
If you test high in Omega 6 versus Omega 3 then you will want to avoid eating high glycemic foods, vegetable oils, red meats, egg yolks and shellfish and substitute at least 8 ounces of cold water fish (i.e. salmon or tuna) a week.
Certainly, it would be good to take Omega 3 fish oil or chia supplements daily as well.
The proportion of omega fatty acids in your body will begin to change rapidly as you modify your diet and over a short period of time, a high risk factor will become a highly protective factor to your heart.
The ideal proportion of Omega 3 to Omega 6 in the diet would be 1:1 or perhaps even an outside range of 1:2. Due to the high levels of Omega 6 fatty acids found in the foods we typically eat in America, the ratios are commonly between 1:10 and 1:50. Some researchers have found an accurate number to be around 1:25. That means the average person eats 25 times as many Omega 6 fatty acids as is healthy for them!
This is a very strong risk factor in heart disease as excess Omega 6 fats interfere with the health benefits of Omega 3 fats, in part because they compete for the same enzymes. A high proportion of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fat in the diet shifts the body’s chemistry and physiology toward the development of many prothrombotic, proinflammatory and pro constrictive diseases,, especially heart disease.
Chronic excess consumption of Omega 6’s are highly associated with heart attacks, thrombotic stroke, arrhythmia, inflammation, high blood pressure and obesity.
In order to find out if fatty acid proportion is a risk factor for you, you need to undergo simple blood fatty acid testing. This tells you whether you have a proper ratio of all the various fatty acids. The test measures total amounts of the main fats: saturated and unsaturated and then breaks them down into Omega 3-6-9 so you can see the ratios. It also measures the specific levels of the pro inflammatory Omega 6’s linoleic acid, gamma linolenic acid and arachidonic acid versus anti inflammatory Omega 3’s, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
The average physician may be unfamiliar with this test and in some cases even be unwilling to order it since many do not understand even the basic written here.
If you test high in Omega 6 versus Omega 3 then you will want to avoid eating high glycemic foods, vegetable oils, red meats, egg yolks and shellfish and substitute at least 8 ounces of cold water fish (i.e. salmon or tuna) a week.
Certainly, it would be good to take Omega 3 fish oil or chia supplements daily as well.
The proportion of omega fatty acids in your body will begin to change rapidly as you modify your diet and over a short period of time, a high risk factor will become a highly protective factor to your heart.
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