Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fats: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fats:
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Nutrition Principle 5
BATON Diet
There are 2 types of essential fats: omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Both are PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids).
Healthy natural sources of omega-6 fats are from fresh vegetables (RAW are best) and select whole nuts like pine nuts, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
Healthy natural sources of omega-3 EPA/DHA essential fats are 100% grass fed meats, grass fed cream and whole milk, grass fed eggs, fatty fish, and triglyceride form fish oils made from wild caught fish.
For health, our bodies require equal amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fats in balance in a 1:1 ratio. The average American is out of balance and has 20 X (20 times) as much omega-6 as omega-3 fats in their body. Restoring the healthy balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is easy and is one key to restoring health.
Fish and fish oil made from wild caught fish in triglyceride form are the best omega-3 EPA/DHA sources to help restore omega-6 to omega-3 fat balance.
Vegetable oils (omega-6 bottled oils) are not healthy. Vegetable oils are inherently rancid. Vegetable oil intake is associated with increased risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. [862, 864, and Meta-analysis by Ramsden CE, et al, Br J Nutr. 2010 (934)]
Avoid industrial trans fats at all costs, intake increases all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease, and coronary heart disease mortality. Meta-analysis, de Souza R et al, BMJ 2015 (1178)
Natural trans fats from ruminant animals found in unprocessed meats, cream, whole milk, and butter were not associated with mortality.
Meta-analysis, de Souza R et al, BMJ 2015 (1178)
Intake of natural trans fats (omega-7 fat) reduced risk of type 2 diabetes by 42%. (1178)
Solving “The Israeli Paradox”
Israel eats even more vegetable oil, also known as omega-6 fat, n-6 PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acid, omega-6 PUFA, or linoleic fats) than the US. Israel eats about 8% more vegetable oil (omega-6 PUFA) than the US, and 10 to 12% more than most of Europe. (864) They have achieved what we have for 50 years been advised should be our goal for a healthy heart: one of the highest dietary omega-6 PUFA (polyunsaturated) to saturated fat ratios in the world. Israel eats lots of those “no cholesterol” vegetable oils (omega-6 PUFA), and hardly any saturated fats.
“In fact, Israeli Jews may be regarded as a population-based dietary experiment of the effect of a high omega-6 PUFA diet, a diet that until recently was widely recommended.” Yam D, et al, “The Israeli Paradox” Isr J Med Sci. 1996 (864).
In short, Israel has developed metabolic syndrome also known as syndrome X. It is the cluster of diseases associated with high insulin levels combined with resistance to insulin, and chronic inflammation. (864)
The fats we eat affect our insulin receptors (864, 1221, meta-analysis 1178, 2258) and our inflammation status (911). Studies are showing us that eating large amounts of omega-6 PUFA oils also known as vegetable oils, exacerbates high insulin levels and insulin resistance so common in type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, overweight/obesity, heart disease, and atherosclerosis. (864) This cluster of chronic diseases is syndrome X or metabolic syndrome, and is a precursor of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. (2258) On top of that, vegetable oils (omega-6 PUFA oils also called n-6 PUFA oils) oxidize super easily making them susceptible to rancidity, to fat peroxidation, and formation of free radicals. (864) Free radicals accelerate aging and can damage cells causing mutations and tumors.
“Thus, rather than being beneficial, high omega-6 PUFA diets may have some long-term side effects, within the cluster of hyperinsulinemia, atherosclerosis and tumorigenesis.” Yam D, et al, The Israeli Paradox Isr J Med Sci. 1996 (864).
A meta-analysis of diet studies found similar results: heart disease and death from heart disease risk increased 13% in people who ate vegetable oil enriched diets. “Advice to specifically increase n-6 PUFA intake, based on mixed omega-3/omega-6 fats (n-3/n-6) randomized clinical trial (RCT) data, is unlikely to provide the intended benefits, and may actually increase the risks of CHD (coronary heart disease) and death.” Meta-analysis, Ramsden CE, et al, Br J Nutr. 2010 (934) In the US, we eat almost as much omega-6 PUFA vegetable oils as Israel and what kills us most are chronic inflammatory diseases: heart disease and cancer. (865)
Key Nutrition Action -- Avoid “The Israeli Paradox”. Throw out vegetable oils.
Eliminate omega-6 oils, the polyunsaturated fats found in vegetable oils.
Replace them with omega-9 fats (olive oil) and/or with saturated fats.
For ideal health, we should have equal, but small amounts of both omega-6 and omega-3 fats in our bodies. Americans on average have 15 to 20 times as much omega-6 fat as omega-3 fat in our bodies and we are riddled with cancer, heart attacks, and diabetes.
For health, our ratio of omega-6 fat to omega-3 fat should be 1:1.
Our US average ratio of omega-6 fat to omega-3 fat is about 20:1. Epidemiology studies show that when a population’s ratio of omega-6 fat (vegetable oils) to omega-3 fat (from grass fed meats, wild caught fish, and fish oil made from wild caught fish) exceeds 10:1 in their body fat, then heart attacks, strokes, and cancer rise sharply in the people. (1473) For health, our omega-6 to omega-3 intake should be in a 1:1 ratio.
Omega-6 vegetable oils are the primary source of omega-6 fat calories for US citizens. Omega-6 vegetable oils provide a significant portion of our calorie intake. Our US intake of calories from omega-6 vegetable oils increased 10% in the last 15 years from 1994 to 2010 according the NHANES data collection. (968)
nuts, or sunflower seeds per day for an adult. Omega-6 fats are essential fats, but we require and should eat only small amounts. (681) A common nutrition imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 fats is seen when we take a biopsy of the average American’s fat. We find an imbalance with about 20X the amount of omega-6 fats compared to the amount of omega-3 fat in our bodies. Sources of omega-6 oils (linoleic fats) include corn oil, soy oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, and margarine. Omega-3 fat sources include the fat from grass fed meats and cream, wild caught fish, and fish oil. 
Healthy sources of omega-6 PUFA fats
We do benefit from eating fresh whole food sources of omega-6 fats from fresh veggies and select nuts, (1161) but only in balanced and equal amounts with omega-3 fats. Hu et al, NEJM 1997. (681, 806, 862, 864) Omega-6 fats are essential fats and they are 1 type of polyunsaturated fat or PUFA.
NO MORE CORN OR SOY OIL, NO MORE MARGARINE
It’s time for an oil change, and it is never too late.
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