Omega 3 and 6 are polyunsaturated fatty acids essential to our health. They are called "good fats" or essential fatty acids because they cannot be made by our bodies. Food is therefore the only way to provide it with enough to meet our daily needs.
However, it is not enough to provide them in sufficient quantity, it is also important to ensure that you maintain a certain balance between the intake of omega-3 and omega-6 .
Discover in this article the importance of maintaining a good omega-3/omega-6 ratio !
Omega 3 vs omega 6: What is it? What are they for ?
Before moving on, it is important to make a quick presentation of our two essential nutrients :
Omega-3s
Chemically, omega-3s are fatty acids whose carbon chain (succession of carbon atoms) has double bonds (unsaturation) in different places, the first of which is located at the level of the 3rd carbon atom — hence the number 3 of "omega-3".
Our body needs three main omega 3 fatty acids for its functioning: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) , cervonic or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and timnodonic or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) .
Omega-3 fatty acids have many health benefits, including:
- Preservation of cardiovascular health
- The proper functioning of the brain
- Protection against neurodegenerative diseases
- Attenuation of inflammatory phenomena
- Maintaining good vision
- Maintaining healthy skin
To fill up with omega-3s , it is recommended to consume daily foods that are rich in them such as fatty fish (sardines, salmon, trout, mackerel, tuna, etc.), nuts , hazelnuts , seeds (chia , flax…), vegetable oils (rapeseed, flax…), cod liver oil , egg yolk , avocado …
To learn more about omega-3s and their benefits, the article " What are the health benefits of omega-3s?" is available here .
Omega-6
Similarly, chemically, omega-6s are fatty acids whose carbon chain has several unsaturations , the first of which is located at the level of the 6th carbon atom .
There are 4 main types of omega-6 of interest to the human body: linolenic acid (LA), arachidonic acid (ARA), gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and linolenic acid conjugate (CLA).
Omega-6s are involved in:
- fertility and reproduction
- blood clotting
- Immune defenses
- The prevention of cardiovascular diseases in association with omega-3s
Omega-6 fatty acids can be found in large quantities in many foods , including soybeans , corn, nuts , seeds , meats, fish , eggs , sunflower oil , etc.
Omega-3/Omega-6: what is the ideal ratio?
According to research, maintain an omega-3 to omega-6 ratio between 1:1 and 1:4 to 1:5 . In other words, for every 4 or 5 molecules of omega-6 consumed , we must provide at least 1 molecule of omega-3 .
In the past, traditionally farmed animals fed on grass that was naturally rich in omega-3s . The meats we ate were therefore very rich in these essential fatty acids.
Today, with intensive farming, animals are fed soybeans and corn which are high in omega-6 , low in omega-3 . As a result, our current (modern Western) diet is highly unbalanced , with an omega-3/omega-6 ratio around 1/15 to 1/30!
In summary, we consume 3 to 6 times less omega-3 than omega-6 , and this is not without consequences for our health!
What are the consequences of an imbalance in the omega-3/omega-6 ratio?
Research has confirmed that there is a strong link between omega 3/6 imbalance and the occurrence of diseases such as:
- The allergies
- Inflammatory diseases
- Rise in bad cholesterol levels
- Type II Diabetes
- Abdominal obesity or “metabolic syndrome”
- Cardiovascular illnesses
- Cancers
- Mental disorders
- The deterioration of vision
To reduce the risk of all these diseases and other health problems , it is necessary to make some dietary adjustments aimed at restoring an ideal omega-3/omega-6 ratio .
How to restore the right balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids?
In general, in order to get closer to the recommended omega-3/omega-6 ratio (around 1/4 to 1/5), we must increase our consumption of foods rich in omega-3 and reduce our consumption of foods rich in omega-6 .
To do this, several strategies can be adopted on a daily basis. Here are a few :
Multiply the sources of omega-3
As mentioned above, we need three main omega-3 fatty acids for our health: ALA , DHA and EPA . Knowing that ALA is mainly of vegetable origin , and that DHA and EPA are rather of animal origin , we understand better why it is important to vary the food sources of omega-3 (vegetable AND animal):
- Plant sources: nuts, seeds (squash, pumpkin, hemp, chia, soy, flax), certain oils (rapeseed, flax, hemp, camelina), certain vegetables (cabbage, Swiss chard, pumpkin, purslane).
- Animal sources: mainly fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring and anchovies, but also eggs, seafood, milk and dairy products. As far as meats are concerned, it is advisable to favor those from organic farming which are much richer in omega-3.
Limit sources of omega-6
One of the first things to do to balance the intake between omega-3 and omega-6 is to replace sunflower oil with an oil richer in omega 3 and containing less omega-6 such as rapeseed oil. .
Taking 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil a day is enough to cover the recommended nutritional intake of ALA (alpha-linoleic acid). All that remains is to consume products of animal origin from organic farming in order to fill up with DHA and EPA !
Supplement with rapeseed, linseed or hemp oil
It is sometimes difficult for some people to change their eating habits to include more sources of omega-3s. They are then recommended, while keeping the same diet, to integrate one or two teaspoons a day of these oils providing particularly interesting quantities of omega-3: rapeseed oil , camelina oil , hemp oil and flaxseed oil .
Thus, the intake of omega-6 from the usual diet will be compensated and balanced by the intake of omega-3.
Take an omega-3 dietary supplement to restore the balance between omega 3 and 6
Since our diet is too rich in omega 6 , we must use all methods that would increase our intake of omega-3 .
To do this, in addition to improving the diet , you can use a food supplement based on omega-3 which will allow an effective and rapid correction of the omega-3/omega-6 ratio .
Conclusion
Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids are good essential fats for our body. They must be provided daily via food in sufficient quantity while respecting a certain balance .
To stay healthy , it is recommended to provide your body with at least one molecule of omega-3 for every 4 to 5 molecules of omega-6 consumed .
Our current diet , modern and industrial, is too rich in omega-6! We must therefore significantly increase our daily intake of omega-3s , in particular through dietary adjustments.
In order to more effectively rebalance the ratio between omega-3 and omega-6, it may be wise to use a food supplement rich in omega-3 at first, then to gradually correct your diet by including more sources. rich in this essential nutrient.
