Many of us have heard the terms Omega 3, Omega 6, or Omega 9. A lot know that Omega 3s come mainly from fish oils, while Omega 6 and 9 come from plant and farm animal sources. Moo, Oink. Few of us, including me, knew what the 3, 6, or 9 meant.
The number in the name refers to the double bond, of carbon I believe, in the fatty acid. Omega 3 refers to fatty acids with the third double bond, omega 6 is the sixth double bond, and omega 9 is the, wait for it, ninth double bond. There is also a supplemental omega 7, but I figured you could run that down for yourselves.
Why is that important? To most of us, including me, it isn't. Frankly, I am pleased you made it this far in the post. If you are really interested or have lots of spare brain cells you can also look into the “cis” bonds. For myself, I am more interested in the way the body reacts to them, and uses them.
To simplify things, if you think of omega 3s as fish oils and omega 6s as vegetable oils, it will be easier for you to control their places in your life. This is not a correct way to look at them. Omega 3, 6, 7, and 9 are present together in most sources, but for ease in dietary concerns I will paint with a broad brush.
Omega 6 from things like corn and canola oils, which are two of the most common cooking oils, are big players in the diet of many of us. These omega 6's, when they out proportion omega 3's, have a profoundly inflammatory effect in the body. They may also create, in the right situations, arachidonic acid. No, this is not how Peter Parker got his mojo. Arachidonic acid is a powerful inflammatory omega 6 that has been tied to things like brittle muscle cells and prostate cancer.
Omega 3 from fish oils, and vegetable sources like flax and chia, support a healthy response to inflammation. They support the cardiovascular system, brain, eyes, skin, and joints. They also help with mood and the ability of the mind to focus.
Most of us do not cook with fish or flax oils, so how do we maintain the healthy 2 to 1 ratio of omega 3 to omega 6, you may ask? Well, I suggest you stop deep frying. It seems like a smart ass thing to say, but, it is really still to common a way to cook. Pan fry, if you must, but use lower temperature oils like olive and coconut. These tend to be better for you and taste better as well. I also supplement with omega 3 every day. I try to be sure my total of EPA and DHA for any day is over 1.1 grams.
Inflammation is linked to every disease as a contributing factor. It inhibits the bodies ability to deal with stress, toxins, and life in general. Why not be sure to keep such a simple problem in check?
