Industrialized vegetable oils that are high in polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acids are common in many processed foods. Canola oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil are a few examples of popular ingredients used by both cooks and bakers. To find a restaurant that doesn’t cook or fry in vegetable oils is all but an impossible task.
Humans have been eating saturated fats forever, but these chemically processed vegetable oils have been in existence for only the past several decades. Metabolic disorders and heart disease have been on the rise ever since.
Studies show that a balanced ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is necessary to avoid inflammation and disease. It reduces risks for heart disease, liver disease, and cancer. It even provides relief for those with rheumatoid arthritis and asthma.
Seek a Balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Before high omega-6 vegetable oils became prevalent, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids were balanced at a ratio of near 1:1. Researchers say that this ratio must be maintained in order to keep inflammation and disease from taking over. The omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in today’s diet averages 15-20:1.
High Omega-6 in the Diet Affects Omega-3 Effectiveness
The effectiveness of an omega-3 supplement, like fish oil, improves when omega-6 consumption is reduced. Diets high in omega-6 can even diminish the benefit of an omega-3 supplement. The pro-inflammatory effects of a diet high in omega-6 are stronger than the anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3.
High Omega-6 in the Diet Contributes to Disease
Nitrosative stress occurs when nitrogen-containing chemicals are produced faster than the body can break them down. A high omega-6 diet produces elevated levels of nitrosative stress, which is an indicator of heart disease or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
A Balance of Omega-6 and Omega-3 Decreases Disease Risk
Low ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 reduces the risk of several diseases. A ratio of 4:1 is associated with a 70% reduced risk of death. A 2.5:1 ratio reduced rectal cell proliferation in colorectal cancer patients. A balanced ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 suppresses inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and helps alleviate symptoms of asthma.
A balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is essential for the prevention of disease. The average American consumes a diet heavy in omega-6 fatty acids, which leads to inflammation and a variety of diseases that continue to become more common.
Resources:
Simopoulos, A.p. “The Importance of the Ratio of Omega-6/omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids.” Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy 56.8 (2002): 365-79. Print.
Rivera, Chantal A., LaTausha Gaskin, Monique Allman, Jia Pang, Kristen Brady, Patrick Adegboyega, and Kevin Pruitt. “Toll-like Receptor-2 Deficiency Enhances Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis.” BMC Gastroenterology 10.1 (2010): 52. Print.
Ghosh, Sanjoy. “Cardiac Proinflammatory Pathways Are Altered with Different Dietary N-6 Linoleic to N-3 α-linolenic Acid Ratios in Normal, Fat-fed Pigs.” Heart and Circulatory Physiology 293.5 (2007): H2919-2927. Print.
Simopoulos, AP. “Human Requirement for N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids.” Poultry Science 79.7 (2000): 961-70. Print.
Musso, Giovanni, and Et Al. “Nitrosative Stress Predicts the Presence and Severity of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver at Different Stages of the Development of Insulin Resistance and Metabolic Syndrome: Possible Role of Vitamin A Intake.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 86.3 (2007): 661-71. Print.
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