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While many fats are not good for your health, at least when consumed in excess, the omega-3 oils (also known as 'Fish oils') are good for health.
These oils can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, ease aches and pains and relieve a variety of other conditions. They are also referred to as 'Brain Food' and can change your disposition from grumpy to sunny.
Why so much confusion over dietary fats? It all goes back some fifty years ago when the experts decided the American public needed polyunsaturated oils to stop the growing epidemic of heart attacks. Their error was that they forgot to include the omega-3 family of the essential fatty acids, the food industry flooded the market with polyunsaturated oils like corn, safflower, peanut, sunflower and cottonseed oils, all full of omega-6 but very little or no omega-3 thus tipping the scale, and the deficiency hit a danger point. It wasn't until a study on the native Eskimos of Greenland, that the benefits of omega-3 were rediscovered. Both omega-6 and omega-3 are necessary for health; it's just that the modern diet contains too much omega-6 compared to omega-3.
What are omega-3 oils?
They are a special group of essential fatty acids, key word being 'Essential'. This means they are necessary for life and health. Leaving out these fats can cause serious health consequences.
Alpha-linolenic acid (LNA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexgenoic acid (DHA) are the main omega-3 fatty acids. When you digest LNA some is converted to EPA and DHA.
Sources of LNA mainly come from plant food, being flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, canola oil (rape seeds), walnuts, leafy green vegetables. Plant food rarely contains EPA or DHA, these are found in fish oils. Fish sources of omega-3 are: herring, mackerel, tuna, salmon, sardines, rainbow trout and with lower levels: cod, halibut, perch and sea mullet, trevally, rock oyster and blue mussels, crab, prawns and lobster.
How do they help your health?
They are needed for good blood circulation, by being natural blood thinners, keeping blood fats known as triglycerides at safe levels, lower blood pressure if it's high, and help the arteries to stay elastic and free from inflammation. Having natural anti-inflammatory agents they help prevent or ease symptoms of asthma, arthritis, menstrual cramps and migraine headaches.
Research has shown that countries with high intake of fish have very low rates of depression.
Flaxseeds not only are an excellent source of omega-3 they also have a special fiber called Lignans, in the body they turn into mammalian lignans, which show great promise against breast, colon and prostate cancer. In lab experiments a combination of lignans and LNA have shrunk breast tumours in rats by more than half. Also women with high levels of LNA in their breast tissue were better able to keep the cancer from spreading to other parts.
How do you know if you need omega-3?
Do you have dry skin? This is the first and most common sign of omega-3 deficiency. Around each and every cell in the skin is a membrane that normally keeps moisture inside the cell. This membrane is a natural moister barrier for the body. Omega-3 fatty acids form a part of this barrier thus keeping the skin hydrated and soft. If you have dry skin or any of the above-mentioned conditions, you would benefit from adding omega-3 oils to your diet.
How to balance your omega-6 to omega-3 intake.
The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is 3:1, 2:1 or 1:1. Most people consume 20:1 or 10:1.
- Avoiding or limiting your consumption of salad dressings (or use flaxseed oil), margarines, commercial baked products such as breads, muffins, cakes and donuts. European style bakeries cause less of a problem, they use butter instead of cooking oil.
- Limiting your intake of corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, peanut, soybean and sesame oils, all are high in omega-6 fatty acid.
- Reducing your intake of foods made with hydrogenated oils, (Trans fatty acids - cause free radicals and damage to cells).
However avoiding omega-6 fatty acids is not enough, you must increase your omega-3 fatty acids by consuming 1 or more of the above-mentioned sources. If using a supplement follow instructions on side of bottle or capsules for recommended dose.
We stock all the very best quality Omega 3, 6 and 9 essential oils.
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