Understanding Omega-3 and Omega-6: How to Balance These Essential Fats

Do you remember when everything in the 90’s was advertised as fat free? There was fat free half-and-half, fat free Snackwell's devil's food cake, fat free potato chips, fat free frozen yogurt, low-fat peanut butter, and countless other options. All of it was marketed as a healthy option for consumers but was secretly packed full of preservatives and sugar or fat substitutes like corn syrup and olestra.

The rationale behind the diet change was easy to understand - Americans had higher instances of heart disease and limited research at the time pointed to fat as the main culprit. The original dietary goals for the United States from 1977 stated that individuals should increase complex carbohydrates and naturally occurring sugars and reduce overall fat consumption. The food industry reduced this to “all carbs are good, all fat is bad” and started replacing all fat in packaged products. Unfortunately for Americans, we have only become more obese and diabetic since the 90’s, which increases the risk of heart disease. So obviously, this processed low-fat diet was clearly not the answer.

Fat developed a terrible reputation in the 90’s and we are still trying to unlearn what was marketed to us as fact. It turns out we need fat in our diets, however the type and ratio is important to consider. Polyunsaturated fat is recognized as the healthy option these days and while that is an improvement, it isn’t the whole story.

Omega-3 vs. Omega-6

Omega-3 and omega-6 are fatty acids required by humans that cannot be made by our own bodies. This is why they are called essential fatty acids, because we need to consume them. Both are healthy polyunsaturated fats and are grouped together on the nutrition label, but they have very different functions.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids:

• Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): These are primarily found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, and trout. You’ll often see DHA added into infant formula and prenatal vitamins and both of these listed as ingredients in high quality fish oil.
• Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA): Found in plant sources like flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and canola oil. Can be converted in your body into EPA and then DHA, but research finds these conversion rates are extremely low. Researchers have found several genes that reduce human conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA.

Anti-inflammatory properties: Omega-3s are known for their ability to reduce inflammation, which can help manage conditions like arthritis and heart disease.

Brain health: DHA is a major structural component of the brain and is essential for cognitive function and brain development, especially in the developing fetus.

Heart health: Omega-3s can lower triglyceride levels, reduce blood pressure, and decrease the risk of heart disease.

Omega-6 Fatty Acids:

• Linoleic acid (LA): Commonly found in vegetable oils such as sunflower, safflower, corn, and soybean oils.
• Arachidonic acid (AA): Present in meat, poultry, and eggs.

Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory roles: While omega-6s can promote inflammation, which is necessary for immune responses and healing, they also play roles in cell membrane structure and function.

Skin and hair growth: Linoleic acid is vital for maintaining healthy skin and hair.

Bone health: Omega-6 fatty acids contribute to bone health by influencing calcium metabolism.

A Balancing Act

One critical aspect of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids is their balance in our diet. Historically, humans consumed omega-6 and omega-3 in a ratio of about 1:1 to 4:1. However, the modern Western diet often has a ratio skewed towards more omega-6, sometimes as high as 15:1 or 20:1. This imbalance can contribute to chronic inflammation and an increased risk of various diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. 

What happens with chronic inflammation? 

An imbalanced ratio of omega 6:omega 3 can lead to inflammation in the lungs during viral infections, which can increase the duration of illness when your body feels sick. The human body is always on the lookout for potential intruders like a virus that can trigger your immune system. When the body sees an intruder, we want the immune system to release cytokines, which are immune signals to rev up the fight with higher fever, more  inflammation to block off intruders, diarrhea to flush the bowels, coughing, etc. to get rid of the bug. 

Omega 6 fatty acids can help increase inflammation, however if your system is imbalanced with chronic low-grade inflammation, the immune system can go into overdrive and release too many cytokines signaling too many immune reactions. Then a domino effect takes place - more cytokines produced, more reactions, and your flu-like symptoms go crazy, looking like a “cytokine storm.” The scale is tipped so far into inflammation that it cannot un-inflame and you don’t feel like you can recover.

So what can you do? 

The best way to avoid chronic low grade inflammation is to act preventatively so that your system can inflame when it must, and un-inflame when it is done fighting a bug. This is where omegas are so critical.

We need both omega 3 and omega 6 fats, but the balance of each type is a challenge with the American diet. Omega 6s are rich in corn, meats, industrial oils, and peanuts which make up a great deal of the Standard American Diet. Omega 3s are rich in fatty fish, algae, and flaxseeds. Which do you eat more of?

It’s not a surprise we consume more processed meats, oils, and processed foods - they are cheaper and much more shelf-stable than their unadulterated natural food counterparts, but we need to find a way to revert back to more omega 3 fatty acids and less poor sources of omega 6. 

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Sources of Omega-3

Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Flax seeds contain a high amount of ALA and can be added to oatmeal or smoothies to thicken the texture, added to baked goods, as a binder in meatloaf, or sprinkled on top of a fruit salad for some crunch. 

100 grams of flaxseed contains nearly 23 grams of omega-3. Flaxseed oil can also be used in your salad dressings in place of other oils commonly hidden in store bought salad dressings.

Hemp seeds (also called hemp hearts) can be added into pesto, granola, smoothies, and baked goods.

Chia seeds can be made into a delicious pudding and have a mild nutty flavor. Add fresh fruit on top to make a delicious breakfast!

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Walnuts. 100 g contains 9 grams of omega-3 fatty acids and in the correct 4:1 ratio. Easy to snack on or add into baked goods and salads.

Seaweed, nori, spirulina, and chlorella are all good sources. Nori is the dried seaweed wrapper around sushi, and can be eaten as a snack. Algae has been shown to be an excellent source of omega-3s although the extraction technology is not yet at the level of fish oil supplements. The idea of algae supplements comes from the fact that fish do not produce the omega-3 fatty acids, rather they have eaten plankton which have eaten omega-3 rich algae. This may be the only vegan source of DHA and EPA.

Edamame and Kidney Beans: contain a small amount of omega-3, however they are extremely versatile and easy to add into many dishes for a small boost in omega-3 fatty acids.

Sources of Omega-6

You may notice that many foods have an overlap and actually contain both omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Walnuts actually contain more omega-6 than omega-3, but the ratio is more balanced than other nuts. Walnuts have an omega-6:omega-3 ratio of 4:1. For some perspective, the ratio for sunflower seeds is 311:1. 

There are healthy sources of omega-6 fatty acids in the form of whole foods so we should not vilify this as the bad fat. Brazil nuts, pecans, almonds, peanuts, soy beans, and corn are all great sources of omega-6. We do not need to avoid these unprocessed foods. What we want to focus on here is minimizing the overly processed frankenfoods in favor of pure foods. 

Easy Changes to Make at Home

Choosing the correct oil for cooking will have the largest impact on your health. Vegetable oil is usually a mix of soybean, sunflower, safflower, with other oils thrown in to balance flavor. These ingredients are overly processed and stored in clear containers which leads to rancid oil very quickly. They are very inflammatory when heated and should be avoided especially in deep fried foods.

• When baking or cooking, replace vegetable oil and canola oil with butter, olive oil, or avocado oil and try to avoid deep fried options.
• Flaxseed, sunflower, and most seed oils are heat sensitive, so they are great options for salad dressings if they come in dark bottles, are cold-pressed, and should be refrigerated after opening.
• Buy quality ingredients - check your labels to ensure you are getting 100% olive oil and not a rancid oil blend. For my list of top extra virgin olive oil’s check out my previous article - Top 10 Olive Oils.
• Grind your own peanut butter in store or replace it with walnut butter. Make sure store bought nut butters do not contain rancid oils. Be careful not to overdo the almond butter either.
• Choose grass fed beef and poultry over grain fed. Right before slaughter and processing, grain-fed cattle are usually fed a mixture of soy and corn which are high in omega-6. 
• Fortified foods with DHA are becoming an option on supermarket shelves - chickens can be fed flax seed which they convert into DHA and pass along in their eggs.
• Steak, chicken or fish? Go with the wild caught fatty fish and increase your omega 3s naturally.

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Supplement Guide

There is no established guideline of required intake for omega 3s, however the National Institute of Health says that less than 2 grams daily is adequate for all ages and genders. (See Table 1 for exact guidelines). In my practice, I use much higher levels which depend on the individual, their genetics, their diet, and their health concerns. 

If you are concerned your diet is not providing the required amount of fatty acids, use this checklist to choose an omega-3 supplement and be sure to ask your practitioner how much is right for you.

• Fresh - omega-3 fatty acids can oxidize easily making them rancid and reducing their effectiveness. Look for added antioxidants like rosemary oil which can help prevent rancidity. Check expiration dates and store away from heat and sunlight.

• Purity - heavy metals (like mercury) found in fish can find their way into some supplements. Look for high quality sources tested by third party labs. IFOS (International Fish Oil Standards) is one example of third party testing.

• Form - not all forms of omega 3 are equal. Look for EPA and DHA in the ingredients for active forms instead of only “pure fish oil” or “other omegas.”

• Concentration - look for at least 80 percent omega-3 fatty acids. Some other ingredients may be necessary to keep the oil fresh and taste appealing, but they should not make up the majority of the product.

Everything in moderation

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are both important essentials in your diet, however the American diet could use a little help to improve the ratio of each. You won’t see me throwing out the almonds simply because their omega ratio is 2010:1 but I might try walnuts instead of almonds with my oatmeal. Natural, unadulterated foods like corn on the cob, whole peanuts, and sunflower seeds are great additions to your diet, but their overly processed oils are what we can aim to avoid. 

The goal of this article isn’t to scare you into avoiding all omega-6 sources, but rather to improve your personal diet with small sustainable changes and hopefully a better understanding of a topic that has been incorrectly advertised to us for years.

If you are looking for more ideas on how to incorporate omega-3’s into your diet, or how to correct your chronic inflammation, check out the Food Foundation Instagram: @jessicafoodfoundation. Seasonal, flavorful dishes are posted often to spark your creativity in the kitchen.

Need a personal consultation? Schedule an appointment to meet with Jessica and discuss your health goals. Visit FoodFoundation.com for more information.

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