Chris Kresser
Health for the 21st century
How much omega-3 is enough? That depends on omega-6.
In the first article
of this series, we discussed the problems humans have converting
omega-3 (n-3) fats from plant sources, such as flax seeds and walnuts,
to the longer chain derivatives EPA and DHA. In the second article,
we discussed how excess omega-6 (n-6) in the diet can block absorption
of omega-3, and showed that the modern, Western diet contains between 10
and 25 times the optimal level of n-6.In this article we’ll discuss strategies for bringing the n-6 to n-3 ratio back into balance. There are two obvious ways to to do this: increase intake of n-3, and decrease intake of n-6.
Many recommendations have been made for increasing n-3 intake. The important thing to remember is that any recommendation for n-3 intake that does not take the background n-6 intake into account is completely inadequate.
It’s likely that the success and failure of different clinical trials using similar doses of EPA and DHA were influenced by differing background intakes of the n-6 fatty acids. In the case of the Lyon Diet Heart Study, for example, positive outcomes attributed to ALA may be related in part to a lower n-6 intake (which would enhance conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA).
This explains why simply increasing intake of n-3 without simultaneously decreasing intake of n-6 is not enough.
Bringing n-3 and n-6 back into balance: easier said than done!
Let’s examine what would happen if we followed the proposed recommendation of increasing EPA & DHA intake from 0.1 to 0.65g/d. This represents going from eating virtually no fish to eating a 4-oz. serving of oily fish like salmon or mackerel three times a week.The average intake of fatty acids (not including EPA & DHA) in the U.S. has been estimated as follows:
- N-6 linoleic acid (LA): 8.91%
- N-6 arachidonic acid (AA): 0.08%
- N-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA): 1.06%
This yields an n-6:n-3 ratio of 6.6:1, which although improved, is still more than six times higher than the historical ratio (i.e. 1:1), and three times higher than the ratio recently recommended as optimal (i.e. 2.3:1).
On the other hand, if we increased our intake of EPA and DHA to the recommended 0.65g/d (0.3% of total calories) and maintained ALA intake at 2.35g/d, but reduced our intake of LA to roughly 7g/d (3.2% of total calories), the ratio would be 2.3:1 – identical to the optimal ratio.
Further reducing intake of n-6 to less than 2% of calories would in turn further reduce the requirement for n-3. But limiting n-6 to less than 2% of calories is difficult to do even when vegetable oils are eliminated entirely. Poultry, pork, nuts, avocados and eggs are all significant sources of n-6. I’ve listed the n-6 content per 100g of these foods below:
- Walnuts: 38.1g
- Chicken, with skin: 2.9g
- Avocado: 1.7g
- Pork, with fat: 1.3g
- Eggs: 1.3g
Check the chart below for a listing of the n-6 and n-3 content of several common foods.
Click the thumbnail for a larger version
Ditch the processed foods and cut back on eating out
Of course, if you’re eating any industrial seed oils you’ll be way, way over the optimal ratio in no time at all. Check out these n-6 numbers (again, per 100g):- Sunflower oil: 65.7g
- Cottonseed oil: 51.5g
- Soybean oil: 51g
- Sesame oil: 41.3g
- Canola oil: 20.3g
So chances are, if you’re eating foods that come out of a package or box on a regular basis, and you eat out at restaurants a few times a week, you are most likely significantly exceeding the recommended intake of n-6.
Two other methods of determining healthy n-3 intakes
Tissue concentration of EPA & DHA
Hibbeln et al have proposed another method of determining healthy intakes of n-6 and n-3. Studies show that the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) is 87% lower in Japan than it is in the U.S, despite much higher rates of smoking and high blood pressure.When researchers examined the concentration of n-3 fatty acids in the tissues of Japanese subjects, they found n-3 tissue compositions of approximately 60%. Further modeling of available data suggests that a 60% tissue concentration of n-3 fatty acid would protect 98.6% of the worldwide risk of cardiovascular mortality potentially attributable to n-3 deficiency.
Of course, as I’ve described above, the amount of n-3 needed to attain 60% tissue concentration is dependent upon the amount of n-6 in the diet. In the Phillipines, where n-6 intake is less than 1% of total calories, only 278mg/d of EPA & DHA (0.125% of calories) is needed to achieve 60% tissue concentration.
In the U.S., where n-6 intake is 9% of calories, a whopping 3.67g/d of EPA & DHA would be needed to achieve 60% tissue concentration. To put that in perspective, you’d have to eat 11 ounces of salmon or take 1 tablespoon (yuk!) of a high-potency fish oil every day to get that much EPA & DHA.
This amount could be reduced 10 times if intake of n-6 were limited to 2% of calories. At n-6 intake of 4% of calories, roughly 2g/d of EPA and DHA would be needed to achieve 60% tissue concentration.
The Omega-3 Index
Finally, Harris and von Schacky have proposed a method of determining healthy intakes called the omega-3 index. The omega-3 index measures red blood cell EPA and DHA as a percentage of total red blood cell fatty acids.Values of >8% are associated with greater decreases in cardiovascular disease risk. (Note that n-6 intake was not considered in Harris and von Shacky’s analysis.) However, 60% tissue concentration of EPA & DHA in tissue is associated with an omega-3 index of between 12-15% in Japan, so that is the number we should likely be shooting for to achieve the greatest reduction in CVD mortality.
The omega-3 index is a relatively new test and is not commonly ordered by doctors. But if you want to get this test, you can order a finger stick testing kit from Dr. William Davis’ Track Your Plaque website here. It’ll cost you $150 bucks, though.
What does it all mean to you?
These targets for reducing n-6 and increasing n-3 may seem excessive to you, given current dietary intakes in the U.S.. Consider, however, that these targets may not be high enough. Morbidity and mortality rates for nearly all diseases are even lower for Iceland and Greenland, populations with greater intakes of EPA & DHA than in Japan.All three methods of calculating healthy n-3 and n-6 intakes (targeting an n-6:n-3 ratio of 2.3:1, 60% EPA & DHA tissue concentration, or 12-15% omega-3 index) lead to the same conclusion: for most people, reducing n-6 intake and increasing EPA & DHA intake is necessary to achieved the desired result.
To summarize, for someone who eats approximately 2,000 calories a day, the proper n-6 to n-3 ratio could be achieved by:
- Making no changes to n-6 intake and increasing intake of EPA & DHA to 3.67g/d (11-oz. of oily fish every day!)
- Reducing n-6 intake to approximately 3% of calories, and following the current recommendation of consuming 0.65g/d (three 4-oz. portions of oily fish per week) of EPA & DHA.
- Limiting n-6 intake to less than 2% of calories, and consuming approximately 0.35g/d of EPA & DHA (two 4-oz. portions of oily fish per week).
This is why the best approach is to limit n-6 intake as much as possible, ideally to less than 2% of calories, and moderately increase n-3 intake. 0.35g/d of DHA and EPA can easily be obtained by eating a 4 oz. portion of salmon twice a week.
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what about mercury in the fish? do you have any concerns?
i just saw “the cove”… yikes!
thanks for doing all the math here.
I’ll be addressing the safety of fish consumption in a future post – possibly the next one. In short, the concern has been way overblown and doesn’t take the protective effects of selenium in ocean fish into account. More to come.
I know nutrients in food form are always better than supplementing single nutrients, but it seems like taking an omega-3 supplement is the most plausible solution. Is there a reason why that isn’t mentioned as an alternative to eating 11oz fish every day?
Anyone have any mercury-free omega-3 supplement recommendations? ( Health From The Sun’s Total EFA? Nordic Naturals? Life Extension Omega-3s? Equateq Maxomega-90? )
• Concentrates and refines the omega-3 fatty acids
• Removes lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, dioxins, and PCBs, and other contaminants
• Reduces oxidation and formation of trans fats
• Minimizes odor and fishy aftertaste
I sound like a commercial, but I’d be glad to tell you about it. Can you contact me through this site?
Fish oil and DHA oil from algae are alternatives to fish consumption. I will discuss these in more detail in subsequent posts.
Studies claim that ALA to EPA /DHA conversion is poor.
But what are the omega 6:3 ratios in the study diets?
It would make sense that little ALA is converted to EPA if the omega 6:3 ratio was high.
eg for omega 6: 3 ratio of 10:1 (LA:ALA)
If the affinity for the 2 PUFAs were equal, you would expect a ~10% conversion of ALA to EPA – as LA would be dominating the conversion enzymes due to its concentration being ~9x higher.
It would be interesting to see the conversion rates of ALA to EPA if the study diet omega 6:3 ratio was 1:1 or 2:1.
Thanks.
Question: If 1000 mg of fish oil contains 360 mg of EPA and 240 mg of DHA (standard fish oil, not special concentrates), what is the composition of the remaining 400 mg of oil?
I can’t believe that there are “proper ratios” of these fats. This just does not make sense for a hunter gatherer environment in a feast/starve/feast/starve cycle or for human survival beyond the ocean. Omega-3′s are now being promoted by the same health professionals who brought you Omega-6′s, in part, to counteract the damage of the Omega-6′s!
Since all PUFA’s oxidize rapidly upon entering a mammal, where the body temperature is close to 100 degrees, you need lots of Vitamin E to handle these oils. Our body temps are not those of fish and we developed in warm climates, where SFA’s and MFA’s are far more beneficial.
Chris has made his case for DHA. Even if he is right, he has concluded that REAL food (fish) is the best possible source of this PUFA. And after you cook the fish, subjecting the PUFA’s to 200 degrees or more, what do you think you get from those oils which can possibly be healthy?
If only a piece of fish per week and avoiding all possible sources of vegetable oils is what you take away from this discussion, Chris will have done a great job helping you to improve your health.
What is a “PUFA”?
PUFA = Polyunsaturated fatty acid (like n-6, n-3, …)
As for mercury, all of the major sources of fish oil have been tested, and no mercury or other toxins have been found even in parts per billion.
Since the consumption of all omega 6 increase triglycerides and decrease hdl cholesterol and omega 3 works in the opposite direction, this ratio gives good information. The ideal ratio HDL cholesterol/triglycerides is close to 1/1.
Eating fish has no problems, if you don’t do it too often. But if you want to supplement your diet with the proper amounts of omega 3 by just eating fish, it could be a health risk. You would have to eat fish almost every day and that could mean dangerous amounts of mercury in your nervous system.
It is important to have in mind that there are certain conditions to get the benefits fish oil can bring.
You need to take a good quality fish oil, free from mercury and other contaminants. That is a molecularly distilled fish oil.
Then, you need to take a minimum amount of fish oil, krill oil or cod liver oil at a certain frequency.
There is not an establish amount of omega 3 for any health benefit but I recommend to take at least 900 mg per day of omega 3 fats (close to 3.000 mg of fish oil), EPA plus DHA, per day. You should increase these amounts if you are overweight or you have degenerative disorders, like hypertension or high triglycerides.
Also, you should lower your intake of omega 6 fats (mostly grains and grain oils) since omega 3 and omega 6 counteract each other in the body. The best way to reduce omega 6 fats is to eliminate all starches from your diet, that is all grains and grain oil.
Please read more at http://www.omega-3-fish-oil-wonders.com/essential-fatty-acids-eicosinoids.html
Best wishes,
Alfredoe
Take home for me is that the most effective way to get your balance of fats in order is to do a big reduction in intake of omega 6′s. That seems the most effective way to get the ratios aligned.
It’s still important to get some omega-3 even if you reduce omega-6 significantly, but yes, I think overall it’s more important for most people to focus on reducing n-6.
I tend to think that nuts in moderation (i.e. a small handful a day, or every other day) are beneficial. However, to play it safe, it may be wise to favor nuts low in n-6 like macadamia and filberts and avoid or limit nuts high in n-6 like walnuts and brazil nuts.
BUT why is mono-unsaturated Extra Virgin Olive Oil often touted for salad dressings?
Seems every Mediterranean study concludes that olive oil is the key, yet the Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio is horibble, so what is it that makes it so healthy?
The answer is, it’s not a simple 3-6-9-7 issue, and the ratios are theoretical. Nobody yet knows what ALA is good for, other than to be converted to EPA and DHA (7% conversion according to this string). On the other hand, GLA is an n-6, but is thought to be quite useful (I mostly deal with mental health issues, and GLA is a definite mood enhancer if nothing else).
Olive oil contains triacylglycerols and small quantities of free fatty acids, glycerol, pigments, aroma compounds, sterols, tocopherols, phenols, unidentified resinous components and other (Kiritsakis, 1998). I’m not sure about triacyglycerols, but if I remember right they are n-7s, which takes them clean out of the 3-6-9 thing.
Shouldn’t ALA, like the kind found in Flaxseed, be listed under Omega-3 with the others (LNA / EPA / DPA / DHA ). Omega 6 shows (LA / AA).
Does it go by another acronym?
LNA = alpha-linolenic acid = ALA. Different acronyms, same fatty acid.
I am taking 2 capsules per day of Daily DHA from Wellness Resources. In the product’s description it says: Daily DHA™ contains 582mg of mercury-free marine lipid oil per capsule. This provides 250mg of the highly desirable DHA omega-3 oil and 35mg of EPA per capsule! Daily DHA™ (the same compound used in Leptinal®), is molecularly distilled, ensuring no heavy metals or mercury are in the supplement. It is also a modified fish oil that is very high in DHA and low in EPA. Too much EPA may thin blood too much or actually get in the way of DHA doing its job.*
I am also following the Paleo Diet and following the 5 rules outlined in the Leptin Diet, but have not switched to grass-fed meats, which I plan to do soon. I’ve lost 38 pounds since March, my BP is about 120/80 and have stopped taking medication. I have also stopped taking statins for cholesterol. I take no other meds, including aspirin. I eat almost no sugar, grains, oils, alcohol, sugar substitutes, or dairy other than pasteurized organic butter. I do eat a lot of smoked meats. Any recommendations? Thanks.
You might also investigate CoQ10 — I used it to get my doctor off my back on cholesterol levels. I have been taking fish oil for many years, but it was not enough; it took about 9 months to get my cholesterol down, but the doctor finally stopped ordering tests. I was taking 2-100 mg capsules per day.
Moss
Also, I’m supplementing vitamin D as my levels were just tested to be at 35. Any danger in over supplementing D with the addition of cod liver oil to the D? Should I be worried abou the D/A ratios?
As for Dr. Mercola, he owns all or most of the stock in Neptune, the major producer of krill oil. And I believe the disadvantages of krill oil have been stated already in this discussion.
(There are currently over 400 members of the ALT-therapies 4bipolar Yahoogroup, and perhaps as many as 1,000 or more have passed through the group since our founding in 2002.)
We also prefer fish oil over cod liver oil, as the liver is the major detoxifying organ and there seems to be no standard method of detoxifying cod liver oil; most fish oil is from dark muscle meat, less likely to harbor toxins.
PS: Moss, I’d love to here from you about your practice with alternative mental health – I’m struggling to start that kind of practice myself in the Washington DC area!
2. Vitamin A is one of the most important fat-soluble vitamins for immune health, along with D. So I do not understand your claim that A & D “increase” compromised immune system. That doesn’t make any sense.
3. The liver processes toxins – it does not store them. That’s a common misconception. Toxins are stored in the fat tissue. If you’re worried about toxins, you should avoid eating the fat of conventionally raised animals and farmed fish – not liver, which is the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.
Now I’m searching for an alternative – any recommendations? I’ve already cut out all fried foods, etc. and am eating just meat (grass fed or pastured), vegetables and non-industrial oils/fats.
Regular fish oil has a lot less (if any) cod in it, so you might be fine with that.
Sorry to be “against” you again, Chris, but this is experience for me.
Don’t get me wrong – I value experience as one piece of the puzzle. But I would never advise others on dietary choices based on my experience or even the experience of a group without more evidence to support my recommendations.
I’ve learned just recently that there are many different types of testing available. The bood testing I had done, I believe is called Cytotoxic food testing….then there’s ACT, Serial End Point Titration & Proactive Neutralization and Electrodermal Titration (VOLS) which is based on orthomolecular medicine.
I have a good friend who was battling Lyme’s disease and found a treatment approach based on VOLS testing and has been on an amazing road to recovery. This technique is really interesting…it determines your reaction to foods by measuring the electrostatic charge between energy meridians (as in Chinese medicine).
Anyway, each time I’m sure I’ve found an “answer” I read conflicting sources of information. Makes for an interesting journey for sure, and it’s all good.
Thanks for your input.
No, I don’t want to be contentious. But when you find a good doctor, as I did once and as Lisa maybe has, they SHOW you the evidence and let you try it out. I don’t know what tests her doctor ran, so I can’t comment on the science behind them — but a lot of the “science” in allergy testing is about on the level of The Amazing Randi, a person whose job it is to debunk or cast aspersions, with the benefit going to the drug companies and their own debunkable magic. I will also admit that a lot of the “science” that is pro-allergy is nothing more than pet theories.
What fats are in my diet? hummmmmm If I cook with oil I use Rice Bran Oil in a 50/50 ratio with butter.
Any other fats come from meats and fish that I buy fresh and cook at home. Nuts….. well yes, a handful once a week maybe of cashews.
No Milk No cheese No yoghurt, which has my poor dietician tearing her hair out! I refuse soy milk, wont use rice or oat milk etc…… the shop bought pre packaged milk substitues are frankenfoods as far as I am concerned.
So am I deficient in the reverse? maybe too much 3′s and insufficient 6′s????
Maybe maybe not. When I cook with chicken all visibly fat and skin is removed. I am NOT misled by the you must eat low fat rubbish, but I don’t over do it either as I have non alcoholic fatty liver, NO gallstones evident on ultrasound, but do get pain in that area sometimes. Only very recently have I read (here I believe maybe) that tyroid problems can interfere with the liver. I have a multi nodular (growing) goitre and seem to fluctualte tween hypo and hyper……. iodine/kelp supplementation did not agree with me.
So apart from taking a krill oil capsule once a day, all other fats consumed are natural mostly 3′s I believe…… THOUGHTS appreciated.
You don’t talk about medications you may be taking… there are a lot of things you can do for the thyroid issues, but the best (and least known) may be lithium orotate. The low levels of lithium in this product appear to be ideal for thyroid issues. Most people see lithium as being damaging to the thyroid, but that is in the light of the toxic levels of lithium carbonate given to many people. Lithium orotate is available over the counter if you can find it, and over the Internet.
And now we are officially off topic. LOL Hope it helps anyhow.
NO I have not been prescribed any prescription thyroid meds….. only suggested I take selinium which I had to find without brewers yeast (not suitable for my diet) and aswaganda (?sp) to perhaps help my thyroid and won’t hurt my other autoimmune issues. I am diagnosed SLE with vasculitis.
Doc is considering a partial thyroidectomy….. I want more information first and a closer look at what my alternatives may well be. I have found this site very informative and helpful. Gut issues do so much damage to the entire body and yet I have not found a GP yet who appreciates that fact.
Cheer’s
It is important to me that I provide the right balance of ‘ingredients’ for my system. I work hard at that.
It is hard to find doctors who listen to their patients, or listen to anything other than what they remembered from medical school. Harder still to find good doctors who take insurance, especially things like Medicare and Medicaid. If you find a good doctor, you will also be dealing with his (or her) pet theories. None of the “alternative medicine” concepts have been rigorously tested (except with the intent to discredit them), and so you will always have trouble getting the right balance for you. Western medicine has never been interested in the individual, only in general treatments (and promoting those treatments as much more universal than they are).
OK, now that I’ve dug myself into that hole, I hope you will reject the partial thyroidectomy — that makes as much sense as “curing” mental illness with a lobotomy (or electro-convulsive “therapy”). I would suggest you consider lithium orotate — it’s cheap, readily available, and safe. (The only research showing it to be unsafe used thousands of times per body weight over suggested amounts, proving only that minerals are toxic when taken at toxic levels.) I can’t show you any research on lithium (at proper levels) and thyroid, but have several members of my ALT-therpaies4bipolar group who have greatly reduced or eliminated their thyroid meds, often with concurrence from their doctor.
But this is Chris’ group, and I have no intention of taking over either the group or the conversation. Feel free to contact me off-list, or just think about what I’ve said and accept or reject it as you will.
I heard you briefly mention borage oil once on your podcast. My integrative doctor has me take 1,000 mg twice a day. She did a functional test which tested all of my levels. My omega 3s were great, but I have low levels of DGLA and GLA. Is that something to be concerned about? Isn’t it better to have more omega 3?
What are your thoughts on borage oil? My omega 6 level overall is pretty low. (no seed oils, nuts etc)
Amanda
I was wondering if you would have different recommendations for a competitive endurance athlete (x-c skiing) training multiple times per day. Does this change anything concerning limits on omega-6 consumption? I eat very close to your recommendations except that it is hard to get enough energy so I like to eat a lot of nuts. I am 22 and generally fit and healthy though I have some trouble with eczema.
Thanks!
Max
Thanks!
Max
I was wondering about ALA. In the example you provided, you say,”if we increased our intake of EPA and DHA to the recommended 0.65g/d (0.3% of total calories) and maintained ALA intake at 2.35g/d, but reduced our intake of LA to roughly 7g/d (3.2% of total calories), the ratio would be 2.3:1 – identical to the optimal ratio.”
How do you maintain ALA at about 2.35g/d, especially if you reduce LA sources likes nuts and seeds? I tend to eat mostly meats, eggs, raw dairy, veggies (including roots/tubers), some fruit, and limited amounts of nuts/grains/legumes. I have recently started to add 2-3 servings of fish a week (mostly salmon, halibut, and ecofish tuna).
I have stents in and refuse statins. I take the fish oil as an anti inflam medication inseat of the statins….
Would appreciate your thoughts and any links for me to follow please
Excellent articles on fish oils and the omega 3 supplementation, but you left out the problems with increased strokes and colon cancer at high dose levels. In studies of two populations, South Pacific Islanders and Aleutian natives, who had diets with high levels of raw fish, heart disease was dramatically reduced but they had five times the incidence of stokes and colon cancer. Those results were collaborated in clinical studies with pigs at Vanderbilt in the mid-1990s.
Also, it would help if you would specify which essential fatty acids you (and the researchers) are calling omega 6 fatty acids. Some of the omega 6 fatty acids also make PGE1 which is a powerful ANTI-inflammatory prostaglandin.
In fact, like the delta-6-desaturase, the delta-5-desaturase is easily blocked by EPA, caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, stress, age, etc. so that further favors the formation of the powerful anti-inflammatory PGE1 from DGLA.
If you want to suppliment with Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) to enhance GLA/DGLA be sure that you use a supplement with real EPO (like Efamol) instead of diluted black currant oil or borage…those oils do not demonstrate benefits in clinical studies.
The Best,
Bob Deschner
I am 31 and suffer from hashimoto thryroditis but my T3 T4 TSH reports are normal and i am taking the synthroid 25 mg. I have a nodule present in the left. I have gastritis, heaviness in left abdomen after eating food,
disturbed sleep, burning sensation on the left side of neck area after eating some kind of food and left knee throbbing in the night and pulse in the nodule which wakes me up..no idea when and what food triggers.. tired of noting down the food diary is exhausted now. Difficulty in conceiving. My left side remains inflammed. Have cut down gluten and lactose for last 4 months. the abdomen symptoms have reduced lot like the bloating and gas. but inflammation in the neck remains. have been following and avoiding all goitregenic foods. can you suggest what is the main culprit behind all this problem. what type of oil i should use for cooking. at present i use canola and olive oil. pls provide some dietary guideliness which will help me.
I speak from experience having been down a similar road like you.
chris, would appreciate your thoughts and links for me to follow pls. i have read all the hashimoto link of yours it was very helpful for me. thank you so much chris to give in detail the information.
Was wondering if you had heard of sacha inchi oil and what you thought of it…I have been supplementing with it because you can get 10 grams of omega 3 in 1 tsp a day.
Thanks
I noticed the mention of Walnuts in your article as being high in n-6. Unrelated, I recently read the study in the american journal of cardiology which found that the addition of daily walnuts to meals increased artery flexibility by 24%.
Weighing the arterial benefits against the n-6 downside, what is your general feeling on daily walnuts?
And I am afraid the same is with the fructose, people see studies with purified or HFCS and then start telling not to eat even fruits.
Cheers
Obviously I understand eating fish is best but ive always also supplmemented with a good source fish oil (nordic naturals) I did take the omega 3 one but then switched to an omega 3/6 balance thinking it was best. I have hasimotos. Now im thinking prob best to stick with supplmenting just omega 3 again, whilst trying to eat balanced and healthy too? I have a lot of olive oil so im prob getting too much omega 6 already so adding it in a supplement perhaps not a good idea? Thanks Carly
Thanks for your work. I have read a few of your articles re: omega 3&6 including this one and aren’t seen Chia seeds mentioned. I would rather get my fatty acids from whole foods rather than taking a supplement but I have yet to acquire a taste for sardines (if you know of a palatable way of taking them, please share!) I have heard that Chia seeds have a favorable FA profile but am having a difficult time confirming this. What are your thoughts?
More on topic, I see that eggs are pretty high in omega 6. But currently I usually buy the free range, omega 3 eggs from a local farmer. How much extra omega 3 is in these eggs? Is it enough to perhaps counter unhealthy levels of omega 6? Is it even in a proper form for people to digest, seeing as it’s originally from flax? I certainly notice a taste difference, and I can’t say I like the fishiness, but I buy them because they’re a good price for eggs that I feel are ethical to the chickens.
And what about organic eggs? Everywhere online says organic eggs aren’t any better health-wise than regular, battery eggs, but organic chickens would eat a lot of grubs and not so much grain, right? If there’s a noticeable difference in grass-fed vs grain-fed cows, and if a chicken’s diet of flaxmeal can create omega 3 eggs, it seems likely the nutritional content would change if they’re eating bugs…
Any recommendations for somebody allergic to fish – and I mean ALL fish? I take flax-seed supplements, but I understand they aren’t as good.
You said that many vegetarians and vegans have low EPA and DHA intakes due to poor conversion from plant-based sources. However, they also probably have low Omega-6 in their diets (assuming they don’t eat a lot of omega-6 nuts), so the ratio is probably close to ideal, right? Is there a minimum amount of polyunsaturates you need, and is the 4% of total calories a good estimate? What do you say the average intake of polyunsaturates is in disease free civilizations (i’m curious to the quantity consumed by those who do not typically live near coastal areas).
Thanks!
the frozen wild salmon (Northwest Pacific) I’m able to get (here in Germany) contains 10,5g (0,37oz.) of fat in 100g (3,5oz.), of which 2,5g (0,088oz.) are saturated. Now I don’t have any idea how much Omega 3 I am getting there (it’s not listed).
You said that 12-18oz. of fish a week are fine, but I was wondering how that would translate with these values. If I may ask, how high is the fat content in the wild salmon you recommend?
Another brand for instance, only lists 2g fat (0,07oz.) in 100g (3,5oz.) of their wild salmon.
How much fat in total should these servings you recommended contain? I’m not sure how to translate this to the 0.65g/day of EPA/DHA you specified.
Thank you so much
Chris
The n-3 essential fatty acids can do more harm acting as metabolic blockers of n-6 metabolism then any competitive absorption issue between n-6 and n-3. Furthermore, recommending eating fish without specifying the type and quality of fish (deep ocean cold saltwater fish is much better than others, especially farm-raised); how to avoid toxicity from heavy metals and oil soluble pesticides and excess vitamin A/D; and preparetion of the fish (frying or cooking fish at high temperatures causes the formation of trans-fats which are metabolic poisons) is naïve if not unhealthy.
Please point out that most of the US studies which have been conducted blindly lumping all omega-6 fatty acids (both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory) into the same bucket and totally ignored the cis- / trans- ratio of the essential fats—therefore these studies are not worth the electrons which are used to store them.
If you would please go back to the original literature—metabolic and clinical studies which first elucidated the essential fatty acid/prostaglandin metabolism—you will find much higher quality studies, more sophisticated analyses and better understanding of what is actually happening.
The Best,
Bob Deschner
I wondered if you could help me with a question about Omega 3 and Omega 6 balance?
According to the USDA, I should aim for at least 17g of Omega 6 a day. Therefore, to get the 1:1 ratio with Omega 3, I need to eat something like 1.5 kilograms (over 3 pounds) of salmon A DAY.
Are you suggesting I eat all that fish, or is the Omega 6 requirement off?
Question: does it matter how the fish oil doses are divided? For example, if I had an aversion to fish, and wanted to replace 16 oz of salmon per week with Vital Choice brand, is there any benefit/disadvantage to taking fish oil 2x per week vs. taking fish oil every day?
When I looked over the nutritional info on Vital Choice’s salmon oil, 3 caps = 600 mg of o3. Nutritiondata says that 1 oz of salmon has 600 mg o3. It works out to 48 fish oil caps from VC, 24, 2x a week or 6 per day. Either way it’s a lot of fish pills, but about the only way I can stomach fish (plus, I discovered VC has a lot of Vit A and D which is good since liver is another weak link for me).
Thoughts?
Great information. dicussion and site. I’m following this thread closely as I have active Ovarian Cancer, Autoimmune Diabetes Type 1 and Hashimoto’s. I used to used olive oil, now most of my oil consumption, cooking etc., is coconut. I have had liver pain, likely inflammation, from lots of meds used to battle diseases, (both traditional and alternative meds.) I just began taking Nigella Sativa oil and am concerned about dosages. It is reputed to have anti-inflammatory impacts internally, and ingredients that help some cancers, especially pancreatic. It is roughly 25% omega-9, 46% omega-6 and .5% omega-3 in composition. Probably I am safe taking 1 tblsp. per day. I would like to gain from its anti-cancer and anti-inflamm properties w/out OD’ing on the omega-6′s. When I take this oil, my liver pain decreases significantly. It seems that I should be OK if I up my cold water fish intake to 2 or 3 4 oz. servings per week to offset the omega-6 consumption. I think the Nigella Sativa oil is by far my most significant source of omega-6′s. I don’t eat that many eggs or that much chicken. Glad to hear that the jury is reconsidering how much is too much omega-6! Any thoughts, comments or suggestions from you, Chris, or readers of this site would be most welcome! Thank you!
However I see, you are recommending to lower the omega-6 intake as much as possible, in order to satisfy the ideal ratio. I wonder if you could please explain this in more detail. In other words, is it okay to ignore that 17 grams daily omega-6 requirement? I am a fruitarian, and my omega-6 consumption is close to zero, and the ratio of 1:1 easily is satisfied. Would that be OK, or is there a certain minimum requirement for omega-6 and omega-3 besides the ratio? I appreciate your response in advance.
Also, a 2011 review published in Nutrition & Metabolism entitled “Increasing dietary linoleic acid does not increase tissue arachidonic acid content in adults consuming Western-type diets: a systematic review”, concluded that there is “no evidence to suggest that changes in dietary linoleic will modify tissue arachidonic acid content in an adult population consuming a Western-type diet.”
Why, on most websites/blogs where the Omega 3/6 ratio is discussed, very few are talking about the Omega 3 rich vegetables that have low Omega 6, and that if you eat a diet rich in veggies and moderate fats and oils, that you are likely getting a healthy ratio? I read so many of these sites, and now on Paleo sites, and this vegetable portion seems to be ignored.
Some questions regarding cooking with vegetable oil. I saw in the diagram provided that Palm oil or Palm Kernel Oil where significantly lower in N-6 acids than the majority of vegetable oils, even lower than olive oil and only superceded by Coconut oil. Where I live, in Thailand the least expensive vegetable oil is Palm Oil from Pericarp. For cooking purposes, would you suggest choosing Palm Oil from Pericarp as a healthier alternative than other vegetable oils like ricebran, canola or sunflower oils as the N-6 content is lower.
Do you know of any other drawbacks to health ingesting palm oil? It would make sense using palm oil for cooking as it is the less expensive than for example rice bran, canola or sunflower and at the same time according to the charts contain lesser N-6 acids.
With best regards, Stefan Stolt
“To summarize, for someone who eats approximately 2,000 calories a day, the proper n-6 to n-3 ratio could be achieved by:
Limiting n-6 intake to less than 2% of calories, and consuming approximately 0.35g/d of EPA & DHA (two 4-oz. portions of oily fish per week).”
Our question: is any component lethal or severely deleterious? Thanks
PS great detailed examination of fats in diet!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf8xyd5be7M
I can hook you up if interested, just sayin’.
Best product in 2013, feel so fine after starting, and i can prove it to myself that its not something placebo feeling, by the test taken at the Norwegian Hospital: St.Olavs, that my balancerato omega 3:6.
Thank you for now, and have a good year.
Regards,
Henning
newrud@gmail.com
Visit balance321.com for more information.
What about grass/insect fed pasture eggs vs farm eggs? The omega-6/omega-3 ratio for the two will be significantly different too right? Any article you can point me to?
Ninad.
Thanks.
Thanks for all the education thus far. Quick question…
What is your take on supplement Coenzyme Q10? Does it help the heart?
Thx
Check out what this says:
http://myvega.com/product/vega-saviseeds/