It is always fascinating to me how there is always something new to learn even in a area of knowledge that you believe you know well.  In the case of good fats and bad fats, I have recently learned that not all forms of  the essential fatty acid Omega-3 are  equal. This will be of interest to anyone who desires radiant health.

Some background first. Commentators on health and wellbeing have universally been advocating that you increase your consumption of the Essential Fatty Acid (EFA) Omega-3 and decrease the consumption of the EFA Omega-6. Thus increasing good fats and decreasing bad fats. Having the correct amounts of these EFAs is really important to protect yourself from inflammation. Inflammation is thought by many to be the real cause of the degenerative diseases that are the main causes of death today, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. There is also a clear implication that inflammation is the cause of other non fatal chronic degenerative diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, etc. At last the American Heart Association is beginning to recognize this reality, and to move away from their stance that a high fat diet is the cause of heart disease , and accept that the real cause is inflammation.

In ancient times the ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 in the human body was 1:2 or 1:3 at most. This means ancient man consumed at most 3 times as much Omega-6 as Omega-3. These are known as Essential Fatty Acids because they cannot be created in the body, and must be consumed as food. Sources of Omega-3 are rare. Although there is a small amount in walnuts, free range eggs, meat from grass fed animals, and in diary products made from milk from grass fed cows, the major source throughout millennia has been oily fish. A more modern source is flax seeds and chia seeds.

The source of Omega-6 in our diet is from vegetable oils. As I recommend in my book Wellbeing Matters, it is as important to reduce your consumption of these oils and thus reduce your Omega-6 levels, as it is to increase your omega-3 intake. These oils are typically corn, soy, canola, safflower and sunflower oil. As long as there is enough of both, it is the ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 that is important, not the amounts.  So to have radiant health you need to increase your Omega-3 intake and decrease your Omega-6 by using olive oil, butter and coconut oil for cooking and salads instead of the oils mentioned above. Also it is a must to reduce convenience foods as they are nearly always cooked with these oils.

So where should you get your Omega-3? The problem with fish today is that they are a dwindling resource thanks to over fishing, and that they are often contaminated with heavy metals such as mercury. I have been advocating flax seeds as the best source of Omega-3, however they must be ground up before eating and consumed within fifteen minutes of grinding to prevent them going rancid. Chia seeds are more expensive but have the benefit of not having to be ground up and they don’t go rancid. Chia seeds where known as a high energy food by the Inca’s who use them for sustenance on long journeys.

What I discovered very recently is that Omega-3 from flaxseeds and chia seeds do not give you the same benefits as Omega-3 from fish. Here’s the scoop. Omega-3 comes in three different forms  which are ALA (α-linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). In flax seeds and chia seeds the majority of the Omega-3 is ALA. In fish Omega-3 is in the form of EPA and DHA. The most beneficial types of Omega-3 are EPA and DHA.  It was thought by others and myself that our livers would convert the ALA to EPA and DHA as shown in the diagram below.

However numerous studies in Canada and elsewhere paint a different picture. It turns out the conversion rate is very poor. Almost zero in men and about 10% in women, and it also varies between individuals. As EPA and DHA are the more important forms of Omega-3 it seems the only significant sources is from fish or from Omega-e enriched eggs, that are enriched by feeding the hens flax seeds, are also high in EPA and HDA as the chickens convert the ALA efficiently.

Thus I now recommend that you do one or all of the following. Eat a tin of Portuguese sardines twice a week (pour away the oil that they are packed in); or eat some wild oily fish (not farmed so no Atlantic Salmon) twice a week (Halibut, Herring, Mackerel, Orange Roughy, Wild Salmon, Sardines, Tuna are particularly high in Omega-3); or take a fish oil supplement that is molecular distilled to remove the heavy metals; or take a krill  supplement; or eat Omega-3 enriched eggs. This is especially important for pregnant women and any one who is overweight or suffering from some degenerative disease.

David Gore Graham

Author of Wellbeing Matters - A Personal Guide to Radiant Health and Wellbeing.

 

Tags: ALA, DHA, EPA, Omega-3, Omega-6, sardines, Essential Fatty Acids, oily fish