N U T R I T I O N
Omegas 3, 6, 9
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O M E G A S - 3,6,9
Omegas are fatty acids which are long chains of fats found naturally in many of our healthiest foods. Omegas are important in our daily diet as they:
,
Reduce risk and severity of dementia,
Lessen the risk of heart disease
Reduce inflamation from arthritis.
Can lower cholesterol levels, and
Promotes good immune reponse for inflammation.
The recommended intake can vary, but on average for most adults; 1100mg(1.1gram) - 1.6g per day for omega3. Also, only ALA has recommended intake, none have been established for DHA and EPA.
Omega6 should be 2 to 3 times the omega3 intake for the day. Omega9 is less essential than omega3 and omega6; and unlike omega3 and 6, the body can make omega9; but it requires good amounts of omega3 and omega6 to do so.
The difference of omega3 and omega6 is the position of the double carbon bond.
Omega 9
Omega9 fatty acid is a monounsaturated fat aka- oleic acid, a fat your body can make.
Omega9's specific role is to lower cholesterol and provide healthy reponse to inflammation. Omega9 is a monounsaturated fat; whereas omegas 3 and 6 are polyunsaturated fats. Omega9 are also good for:
reduction of the arteries, reduction of insulin resistance, and protects against certain cancer types.
Omega 3
There are three dietary types of omega3:
Fish and seafood (EPA),
Fish and seafood (DHA),
Plant based (ALA).
Foods to eat for your daily intake include;
EPA and DHA are called essential fatty acids because the body doesn't produce them. That's why it's important to get omega3 fatty acids from food or from supplements.
For 1600mg day;
3oz salmon filet,
1/4 oz flax seeds,
3/4 oz walnuts - 10 halves,
2 tbl hemp seeds,
1 tbl chia seeds.
According to an article at the vegansociety.com; vegans should double their amount of ALA. When reading labels, look for the DHA, EPA, and ALA amounts. Combining these is the supplemental amount per your dosage. Example; fish oil says 1000mg, DHA says 150mg, EPA says 200mg. Combine 150mg and 200mg, these are the omega 3 amounts you get from that fish oil per tablet or however it is portioned.
"Omega-3 dietary supplements include fish oil, krill oil, cod liver oil, and algal oil (a vegetarian source that comes from algae). They provide a wide range of doses and forms of omega-3s."(1)
The World Health Organization and American Heart Association recommend eating two 3.5oz servings of fatty fish per week. These contain EPA and DHA, and rich in omega3. Eating more than the recommended has not shown any additional health benefit.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends consuming no more than 5 g/day of EPA and DHA combined from dietary supplements. Any side effects from taking omega-3 supplements are usually mild.(2)
The best sources of omega3s are oily fish, whereas omega6s and omega9s are found in plant oils, nuts, and seeds.
Foods: Omega 3
Soybeans, spinach, fish oil, walnuts, fatty fish - sardines, salmon, herring, seafood, chia seeds, flax seeds, mustard seeds, flaxseed oil, brussel sprouts, avocados, tofu, mussels, oysters, soybean oil, and fortified foods like eggs and milk.
Specific Quantities:
Grass Fed Beef: Omega3 - 149 mg per 6-ounce (ground, raw)
Wild Rice: Omega3 - 75mg 1/2 cup cooked.
Spinach: Omega3 - 80mg per 1/2cup (cooked), 20 mg per 1/2 cup (raw)
Omega3 Eggs: Omega3 - 225 mg per egg
Red Lentils: Omega3 - 240mg 1/2 cup
Omega 6
Omega6 is an essential fatty acid; and is good for:
the brain,
good for human development,
skin and hair,
good bones,
regulate metabolism,
lowers risk heart disease,
good for nerve pain and Arthitis,
inflammation,
As omega6 is not produced by your body we get from food and supplements. It competes with omega3. The best ratio as mentioned, is 2 to 1, 3 to 1 - omega6 to omega3.
Foods for Omega 6
Beef, chicken,eggs, walnuts,
(best choose organic and no gmo).
linoleic oil (a type of vege oil)good as body converts it to GLA,
GLA found in plant based oils like primrose, barage oil, and black current seed oil.
Vegetable cooking oils are a major source of dietary omega6 fatty acids.
Safflower oil contains 10.1 grams per tablespoon.
A tablespoon of sunflower oil has 8.9 grams.
Corn oil 7.3 grams per tablespoon,
and soybean oil has 6.9 grams per serving.
Seeds and nuts are another good source, with 9.7 grams per oz of sunflower seeds. A 1-ounce serving of pecans has 6.4 grams and brazil nuts contain 5.8 grams per ounce.
Unhealthy Foods
Omega6 is in a lot of unhealthy foods; such as potato chips, pizza, pasta dishes, salad dressings; and processed meats, like sausage, hot dogs, pepperoni, and salami.
Excessive consumption of oils with linoleic acids; like vegetable oils, can contribute to inflammation and put your health at increased risk for; heart disease, cancer, asthma, arthritis and depression; which is why we should monitor our omega6 consumption.
Most of us consume 15 to 16 times more omega6 fats than omega3s. This is why most health professionals recommend eating less omega6 and more omega3 to balance the ratio of these two fatty acids to the recommended amounts.
Good Fats vs Bad Fats
Nutritionally speaking, there are good fats and there are bad fats.
Omega3 and omega6 are polyunsaturated fatty acids which are considered good fats.
Saturated fats that are in foods like butter and meat, are considered not as good because they can raise levels of unhealthy (LDL) cholesterol; especially if we eat them too often or we eat too much.
Polyunsaturated fats are better for us because they help lower cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation throughout the body.
Omegas 3,6, 9 work best and provide most health benefits when they are all ample in the body. Eating foods from all the recommended food groups is a good way to add them to your daily diet.
Research
Many scientists today believe the main culprit behind the high incidences of chronic illness such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, obesity and cancer is the extremely imbalanced intake of omega-6 versus omega-3 fats.
Goto: Vitamins and Minerals
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