How is Your Omega Ratio?

Fats have a bad reputation. But, guess what? Fats are essential for your health and wellness. The problem is that not all fats are created equally. And please, avoid trans-fats, they are never good for you.

When you hear about fats you often hear the term “omega”. Fats, or fatty acids, are really a long carbon-chain molecule. This molecular chain has a carboxyl group (COOH) at one end and a methyl group (H3C) at the other end. Omega refers to the distance of the first cis unsaturated double bond (see note below) from the methyl end of the carbon chain. This means that Omega-3 fats have the first cis unsaturated double bond in the third position from the methyl end. Aren’t you glad you are reading this? Don’t worry, no more organic chemistry.

Omega-3 fats include fish oils (EPA and DHA ) and flax seed oil (Alpha-linolenic acid). Your body can convert alpha-linolenic acid into EPA and DHA however, the conversion process becomes less effective as you age. Omega-6 fats include most vegetable oils like corn, soy, canola, safflower and sunflower oils. Olive oil is the most common Omega-9 oil. Omega-3 and Omega-6 oils are essential oils; your body can not produce them. Omega-9 fatty acid is not essential because your body can create Oleic acid, an Omega-9 fatty acid.

So, what is the big issue about Omega -3 and -6 oils. Well, if you are like most Americans eating the Standard American Diet (SAD) then you consume too much Omega-6 fatty acid and not enough Omega-3. The optimal ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acid is 1:1. Unfortunately most Americans consume a diet with a ratio of 1:20 to 1:50. That means that you may be consuming up to 50 times the Omega-6 fatty acids as Omega-3.

We do need both Omega-3s and Omega-6s however, it is becoming increasingly clear that an excess of omega-6 fatty acids can have adverse health consequences. Many scientists believe that a major reason for the high incidence of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, premature aging, and some forms of cancer is the profound imbalance between our intake of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 deficiencies have also been tied to many conditions, including the following:

• dyslexia
• violence
• depression
• memory problems
• weight gain
• cancer
• heart disease
• eczema
• allergies
• inflammatory diseases
• arthritis
• diabetes
  

So, what should you do?

1. Avoid trans-fats.
2. Limit your intake of Omega-6 fats.
3. Increase your intake of Omega-3 fats
4. Eat more fish.
5. Take fish oil supplements.
6. Take flax seed supplements.

NOTE:

In case you were currious, as cis bond includes two double bound carbon atoms with a hydrogen atom attached to each carbon atom, both on the same side:

H H

-C=C-