Omega 6 Vs. Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 and omega 6 are a group of fatty acids, which cannot be synthesized by the body. As a result, these nutrients need to be taken through diet or supplements. Since these fatty acids are extremely beneficial for the body, they are rightly called essential fatty acids. There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding omega 3 vs omega 6 benefits, at various levels. People do not know which of them is more beneficial than the other. As a result, they take all wrong supplements which do more harm to the body than any good.

Omega 6 Fatty Acids Vs. Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Fats are classified as saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Consuming saturated and monounsaturated fats increase your risk of heart diseases. Both omega 6 and omega 3 belong to the class polyunsaturated fatty acids. They differ from each other in their chemical structure. The food sources from which they can be derived also differ significantly.

Ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3
Ideally, human body should get equal amount of omega 6 and omega 3 essential fatty acids. Our ancestors ate immensely healthy food and maintained the ideal ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 as 1:1. While the ratio of 1:1 is perfect, the ratio of 4:1 is also considered healthy. However, within last few years, our eating habits have undergone a sea change. Fried, fatty, refined foods have become a part of our daily diet. Since, vegetable oil is the main source of omega 6 fatty acids, our consumption of omega 6 fatty acids has increased like never before. As a result, the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 has reached a staggering height of 10 - 20:1. In the United States, this ratio is 39:1 owing to high consumption of omega 6 food sources. Japan is the only nation in the world that has maintained an ideal ratio of 4:1. As a result, Japanese are considered as the most healthy people, in spite of very high smoking rate.

Food Sources
As mentioned above, omega 6 fatty acids find its sources in vegetable oil. Omega 6 foods list include:

• Flaxseed oil
• Flax seeds
• Flaxseed meal
• Hempseed oil
• Hempseeds
• Grape seed oil
• Pumpkin seeds
• Pine nuts
• Pistachio nuts
• Sunflower seeds (raw)
• Olive oil
• Olives
• Borage oil
• Evening primrose oil
• Black currant seed oil
• Chestnut oil
• Chicken

Omega 3 fatty acids are found in healthy foods such as vegetables and fish. Given below is an omega 3 fatty acids foods list:

• Flax seed oil
• Soybean oil
• Canola oil
• Walnuts
• Dairy products
• Beans
• Broccoli
• Salmon
• Mackerel
• Lake trout
• Herring
• Sardines
• Albacore tuna

Risks and Benefits
Both omega 6 and omega 3 have several health benefits on the human body. Omega 6 is primarily concerned with curing diabetic neuropathy, rheumatoid arthritis, PMS, skin disorders such as psoriasis and eczema. It also assists in cancer treatment. On the other hand, omega 3 fish oil benefits are associated with curing and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. It reduces your risk of heart attack and significantly lowers hypertension. It also decreases your risk of acquiring viral infections. It has anti-inflammatory properties which can be of great use for treating allergic conditions. However, to avail the benefits of these nutrients it is important to balance the ratio of omega 6 acids to omega 3 acids. As we have seen above, the existing ratio for these two nutrients is anything but healthy. Over consumption of omega 6 and under consumption of omega 3 makes you prone to heart diseases. Excess of omega 6 constricts the arteries and poses threat to your heart. Increased intake of omega 3 may also result in some omega 3 side effects, which include nausea, bloating, abdominal gas, constipation, heartburn, diarrhea and occasional nosebleeds. Due to its blood thinning property, it is not recommended to take it with other blood thinners like aspirin.

Thus, we reiterate that if you really wish to live a healthy life, strike a proper balance between the two fatty acids. Hope this article was resourceful.