All about the Omegas!

In this blog post we are going to talk about omega-3 fatty acids! Omega-3s are one of the more popular supplements recommended by natural and mainstream practitioners alike. Their usage goes back even to ancient times for both nutrition and preservation. During the 20^th century the demand for fish oils increased rapidly as the nutritional benefits became more widely known. Research about omega-3 fatty acids has continued to grow in the 21^st century and has added significant findings to our understanding of the importance of these fat molecules.

               We now know that omega-6 and omega-3 are both important for our health. Omega-3 lowers inflammation in the body, inhibits clots in the bloodstream, contributes to heart, brain and eye health, and is important for optimal immune response. Omega 6 is also important for heart health and lowering inflammation, but it also helps with proper cell function and regulation of blood sugar.

               So why are omega-3s getting all the attention? The reason is because we do not have an issue with low omega-6. The typical American diet is high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega 3-fatty acids. In fact, the average American often gets 20 times more omega-6 compared to omega-3.  The ideal ratio should be 2:1. This is a huge imbalance! Too much omega-6 can lead to inflammation (an instigator of all kinds of chronic disease), as well as skin problems and joint pain. You may be surprised to hear that there is such a thing as too much omega-3! Too much omega-3 could be contributing to digestive problems and skin problems like dry skin. So, before we get into what we can be doing to bring a balanced amount of these important fats to our diets, let’s ask how this imbalance can happen? What is unique to our American diet that is causing things to be so out of whack?

               One of the major sources of omega-6 is vegetable oils. Safflower, soybean, grapeseed, sunflower and canola are all oils that are high in omega-6. While these oils all sound like they should be healthy, the way we process them turns them into foods that are the very opposite.  Fat molecules in vegetable oils are fragile and when they go through the high heat processing that the commercial food industry puts them through those fragile fatty acids breakdown. These oils then, through oxidation, are essentially rancid. Their very composition is altered, resulting in the production of free radicals and aldehydes which damage cells; especially when they are being consumed frequently. If you take a walk down even the most health-conscious grocery store, a huge percentage of the food will have these vegetable oils in them. Your consumption of these oils will be especially high if you are buying pre-made food (even if they have an “organic” label) or cooking with these oils on a regular basis at home. Current research is consistently linking the consumption of these oils in such high amounts as being a factor in the skyrocketing rates of chronic disease, heart disease, inflammation, and even cancer that we are seeing in our country lately. If you want to do one thing to boost your health and lessen your chance of disease, cut these oils out of your diet and instead go for more stable fats like butter, coconut oil, olive oil and avocado oil. You still need to be careful not to heat these fats past their smoke point as this will cause even these stable fats to break down. Olive oil should be kept under 375 degrees, avocado oil needs to stay under 500, coconut oil under 400 and butter is best kept at a low heat and can burn above 300.  

               So, just by looking at one part of the American diet, it’s easy to see how we could be getting too much omega-6 oils. How can we restore the balance? The solution is not necessarily to focus on restricting the consumption of omega-6 but rather looking to have a balanced diet full of whole, nutrient-dense foods. If you pursue this type of lifestyle, you will likely have a correct amount of omega-6 in your diet. And since the American diet is often low in omega-3, it is wise to focus on getting more omega-3! Of course, the ideal way to get all important nutrients into our body is through our diet. So, let’s first look at food-sources for omega-3.

               Seafoods are of course well known to be high in Omega 3’s but there are many other sources as well. Flaxseeds, walnuts, green vegetables, eggs from chickens raised outside, organ meats, and animal fats like butter all have omega 3’s in them. Even wheat contains some omega 3’s but only if you are eating freshly milled flour or the whole wheat berry as the omega 3’s are inside the wheat germ, which is often removed in store-bought flour.

               Many may need supplementation to bridge the gap and restore the balance. So, let’s next look at what types of omega-3 supplements are out there and what you may need to keep in mind as you choose what’s best for you! First, just like the over-processing of vegetable oils has led to these oils becoming unhealthy and damaging, fish oils are often processed with too much heat, causing these oils to become oxidized and rancid. Mainstream fish oils are also often from sources that are unsustainable for the environment and may contain toxins. So, important things to remember when you are purchasing fish oils are to make sure, they are from fish that are low in toxins-a good place to start would be fish from cold, deep waters. Next is to look at the processing-ask the manufacturer to understand the process of how that fish oil gets made from the time the fish is caught to when it gets on the shelf. Make sure the oils are never over-heated and that the processing time is low. Also make sure there aren’t additives like flavors, colors, or preservatives.

               Here are some products that we carry that have been checked for purity, nutrition, and sustainability!

Tuna Omega-3 Oil – Heart + Sol

Omega 3/ EPA/ DHA* – Heart + Sol

Calamari Omega-3 Liquid – Heart + Sol

Omega-3 Health (Body Health) (120 soft gels/60 serv.) – Heart + Sol

Flax Oil Plus – Heart + Sol

Cod Liver Oil Lemon – Heart + Sol

Rosita Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil Softgels – Heart + Sol

               We hope that you now have more knowledge about omega-3 & omega-6 role in your health and feel more confident about making better food and supplement choices. As always, please reach out if you have any questions or need any assistance in choosing the right supplement for you!

Blessings on the journey!