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Omega-3 & Omega-6 Fatty Acids
Last Reviewed: 28/06/2023
Time To Read: 3mins
Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are an essential polyunsaturated fatty acid, which the body is unable to make and therefore need to be obtained from food.
There is evidence that replacing saturated fatty acids with polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces cardiovascular disease risk.
Omega-6
Current recommendations are to replace saturated fat in the diet with polyunsaturated fatty acids, including both omega-3 & omega-6 fatty acids, to reduce cardiovascular disease risk. The upper limit recommendation of omega-6 fatty acids is 9% of energy (calories) daily. In most countries, intakes of omega-6 fatty acids are between 3-7%.
Food Sources of Omega-6
- safflower oil
- sunflower oil
- corn oil
- soybean oil
- sunflower seeds
- walnuts
- pumpkin seeds
Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids have been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in a variety of fish and fish intake has been associated with lower risk of stroke, however more studies are needed to understand if this is due to omega-3 fatty acids.
Recommended amounts of Omega-3 is shown below (in grams).
Life Stage
Recommended Amount of ALA
Birth to 12 months*
0.5 g
Children 1–3 years
0.7 g
Children 4–8 years
0.9 g
Boys 9–13 years
1.2 g
Girls 9–13 years
1.0 g
Teen boys 14–18 years
1.6 g
Teen girls 14–18 years
1.1 g
Men
1.6 g
Women
1.1 g
Pregnant teens and women
1.4 g
Breastfeeding teens and women
1.3 g
*As total omega-3s. All other values are for ALA alone
Food Sources of Omega-3
A diet with a variety of foods should be adequate to meet your omega-3 requirements. Foods rich in omega-3 are shown below
- Fish and other seafood (especially cold-water fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines)
- Nuts and seeds (such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts)
- Plant oils (such as flaxseed oil and canola oil)
- Fortified foods (such as certain brands of eggs, yogurt, juices, milk, soy beverages)
Replacing saturated fat in your diet (fat from foods like butter, cream, cheese, meat fat) and replacing them with unsaturated fatty acids (like nuts & seeds, plant-based oils, and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna) may help to reduce your cardiovascular disease risk. Small changes in your diet can make a difference so start with one thing at a time and gradually make small changes that will help to improve your overall health.
Omega-6 & Omega-3 Ratios
Some evidence shows that Omega-6 fatty acids may be inflammatory (and contribute to heart disease and diabetes), while Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory (and therefore help reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes). Often, people who follow a Western eating pattern seem to eat far more Omega-6 fatty acids than Omega-3's. This may be attributed to eating a diet that is high in processed foods and one where oils like soybean and sunflower oil are used excessively. These oils are particularly high in Omega-6 fatty acids and may contribute to having an imbalance between the two fatty acids in the diet. Vegetable oil like olive oil contains low amounts of Omega-6 fatty acids. If you are concerned about your levels, consider switching to this healthy alternative.
There is still no conclusive proof regarding the effect of a high Omega-6 fatty acid intake on health. The most healthful changes you can make to your diet are to eliminate or reduce heavily processed vegetables oils like soybean and sunflower oil, and switch to healthier choices such as olive oil. Also look at your Omega-3 intake to ensure you are meeting your recommended daily intakes.
We hope you found this article useful.
Thanks for reading.
The team @ The Food Cruncher.
The Science:
Tortosa-Caparrós E, Navas-Carrillo D, Marín F, Orenes-Piñero E. Anti-inflammatory effects of omega 3 and omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2017 Nov 2;57(16):3421-3429. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2015.1126549. PMID: 26745681.
NZ Nutrition Foundation. Dietary Fats and Oils. 2015.
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-Consumer/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/No-need-to-avoid-healthy-omega-6-fats
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