Here Fishy Fishy
Now that you know heart-healthy fats exist and can add flavor and texture to food whilst providing energy and vitamins to your body, I thought it’d be a good time to introduce my two friends, omega-3 and omega-6. Both of these guys are essential fatty acids—meaning they’re “essential” for our health because we can’t synthesize them in our bodies and must acquire them from external food sources.
Sources of Omega-3 and Omega-6
Omega-3 can be found in:
cold-water fish salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel
walnuts, flaxseed
hemp oil, canola oil, and soybean oil
Omega-6 can be found in:
most vegetable oils, especially safflower oil, corn oil, and sunflower oil.
Competition Between Omega-3 and Omega-6
Both fatty acids are vital for good health, where omega-3 is especially important as it combats cardiovascular disease by decreasing clot formations in arteries and improving heart rhythm. But here’s the thing: omega-3 and omega-6 take the same pathways in our bodies, which causes them to compete with one another.
…Too much science for you? Here’s a little illustration: think of red and green M&M’s stored in a candy dispenser with WAY more green M&M’s than red M&M’s. As you open the dispenser, you’ll be left with an uneven ratio of red and green M&M’s (as you might have already guessed).
In the same way, the competition between omega-3 and omega-6 results in the body having too much of one compound and not enough of the other. As our diets are generally richer in omega-6, this means it usually wins the fight against omega-3. Therefore, increasing omega-3 intake should be your focus.
How to Increase Omega-3 Intake
Try to eat a diet that includes omega-3 fatty acids twice a week (8 ounces/week). When supplementing with fish oil pills, grab the bottle labeled “Omega-3” and leave behind the one labeled “Omega-3, 6, and 9.” However, be careful! Excessive intake (4 to 8 ounces/day) of omega-3 fatty acids may impair the function of the immune system or cause uncontrollable bleeding.
FYI – 100 grams is 3 ½ ounces.
Take away message: essential fatty acids are vital for good health, so eat fish twice a week or supplement with a fish oil pill that contains omega-3 only.
…What about multi-vitamins you ask? Well, stay tuned for next week.
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Image courtesy of RajeshTP
