Perhaps you're already aware of the health benefits of essential fatty acids, and in particular Omega 3 fatty acids. There's been plenty of news lately about these health benefits and many people now understand about the importance of maintaining an adequate intake of Omega3 fats, in which most of us are deficient. But have you heard about Omega 6 fats, and do you know what the Omega 3 Omega 6 ratio is?
We all need good fats known as essential fatty acids for good health. Our body cannot manufacture these itself and so relies on getting them through our diet every day. Omega 3 fats are found in fish, and the vast majority of us are deficient in Omega 3 intake.
However Omega 6 fatty acids are generally found in a range of plant-based food sources that we are not deficient in in our diet. You find Omega 6 fats in sunflower oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, corn oil and more, and soy oil is almost totally comprised of Omega 6 fatty acids.
Most of these vegetable oils are cheap and for this reason they are used extensively in a wide range of processed foods, including margarine, and as many of us eat plenty of processed foods, as well as vegetable oils, we generally consume too much Omega 6.
Scientific research has shown that in the past we had an Omega 3 Omega 6 ratio of roughly 1 to 1, or in other words we ate roughly the same amount of each of these fats in our diet. However estimates now are that the Omega3 Omega 6 ratio in the average US citizen is somewhere from 10 to 1, or even, according to some estimates up to 30 to 1. Because of our reliance on vegetable oils and processed foods we are now eating far more Omega 6 fats than we ever did in the past.
It is true that Omega 6 fats are important to our health however it is also true that the Omega3 Omega 6 ratio, or the ratio between how much of each of the 2 types of fats that we eat, is also very important, and that by eating too much Omega 6, whilst at the same time eating too little Omega 3, we are running the risk of a range of health problems including the possibility of a range of cancers as well as coronary artery disease and inflammatory diseases like arthritis.
On top of this is an issue with our meat. In the past our meat came from animals raised on grass. Grass fed meat is reasonably high in Omega 3. However most of our meat now comes from grain fed animals, and grain fed animals have virtually no Omega 3 and are high in Omega 6 fats. So as you can see we are all eating plenty of Omega 6 and there is absolutely no need to supplement our diets with more.
Whilst it is extremely important to get an adequate intake of Omega 3 fatty acids in our diet, and most of us are deficient in these, it is equally important to ensure that we reduce our intake of Omega 6 fats to maintain a healthy Omega 3 Omega 6 ratio. We can do this by reducing the amount of processed foods and vegetable oils in our diet and changing to healthier oils for cooking such as olive oil. And equally important is to increase our intake of Omega3 fats by dietary supplementation with fish oil supplements.
However, although all of us should be taking daily fish oil supplements, you need to be aware that there are wide variations in the amount of the Omega 3 fatty acids found in the different brands of fish oil supplements, and you need to know how to make an informed choice when choosing your fish oil supplements.
If you're interested in finding out more about the Omega 3 Omega 6 ratio, or about how to compare the different brands of fish oil capsules, then visit my website to do so.
We all need good fats known as essential fatty acids for good health. Our body cannot manufacture these itself and so relies on getting them through our diet every day. Omega 3 fats are found in fish, and the vast majority of us are deficient in Omega 3 intake.
However Omega 6 fatty acids are generally found in a range of plant-based food sources that we are not deficient in in our diet. You find Omega 6 fats in sunflower oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, corn oil and more, and soy oil is almost totally comprised of Omega 6 fatty acids.
Most of these vegetable oils are cheap and for this reason they are used extensively in a wide range of processed foods, including margarine, and as many of us eat plenty of processed foods, as well as vegetable oils, we generally consume too much Omega 6.
Scientific research has shown that in the past we had an Omega 3 Omega 6 ratio of roughly 1 to 1, or in other words we ate roughly the same amount of each of these fats in our diet. However estimates now are that the Omega3 Omega 6 ratio in the average US citizen is somewhere from 10 to 1, or even, according to some estimates up to 30 to 1. Because of our reliance on vegetable oils and processed foods we are now eating far more Omega 6 fats than we ever did in the past.
It is true that Omega 6 fats are important to our health however it is also true that the Omega3 Omega 6 ratio, or the ratio between how much of each of the 2 types of fats that we eat, is also very important, and that by eating too much Omega 6, whilst at the same time eating too little Omega 3, we are running the risk of a range of health problems including the possibility of a range of cancers as well as coronary artery disease and inflammatory diseases like arthritis.
On top of this is an issue with our meat. In the past our meat came from animals raised on grass. Grass fed meat is reasonably high in Omega 3. However most of our meat now comes from grain fed animals, and grain fed animals have virtually no Omega 3 and are high in Omega 6 fats. So as you can see we are all eating plenty of Omega 6 and there is absolutely no need to supplement our diets with more.
Whilst it is extremely important to get an adequate intake of Omega 3 fatty acids in our diet, and most of us are deficient in these, it is equally important to ensure that we reduce our intake of Omega 6 fats to maintain a healthy Omega 3 Omega 6 ratio. We can do this by reducing the amount of processed foods and vegetable oils in our diet and changing to healthier oils for cooking such as olive oil. And equally important is to increase our intake of Omega3 fats by dietary supplementation with fish oil supplements.
However, although all of us should be taking daily fish oil supplements, you need to be aware that there are wide variations in the amount of the Omega 3 fatty acids found in the different brands of fish oil supplements, and you need to know how to make an informed choice when choosing your fish oil supplements.
If you're interested in finding out more about the Omega 3 Omega 6 ratio, or about how to compare the different brands of fish oil capsules, then visit my website to do so.
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Want to know more about the best Fish Oil Supplements? Or more about the Omega 3 Omega 6 Ratio? Visit Peter's Website Healthy Omega 3 Fish Oil.
