Healthy Food Chart

Q.    I've read that in lowering your ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids to something approaching 3-1 or 2-1 contributes to health. However, some excellent sources of Omega-3 like walnuts have a ratio higher than that. What's more important--adding more Omega-3 to one's diet or lowering that ratio?

A. This is a great question!  It's essental to have some source of omega-3 fats in your diet, because your body cannot manufacture them from other fats. The National Academy of Sciences estimates that adults need a minimum of 1 to 1.5 grams of omega-3 fat (alpha linolenic acid) every day.  Cold-water fish, flaxseed, walnuts are all rich in omega-3 fats.

The reason so many health experts recommend higher intakes of omega-3 is to balance the very high intake of omega-6 that are typical in a Western industrialized diet.  As discussed in this recent post, "Is taking fish oil environmentally responsible?", people would need less omega-3 fats if they reduced the amount of omega-6 in their diets.  Vegetable oils (such as corn and soy) are rich sources of omega-6.

So, if you're otherwise healthy, you're getting at least the minimum recommended intake of omega-3, and you're maintaining a decent ratio between omega-6 and omega-3, you should have your bases covered.  Certain health conditions, such as high triglycerides, may benefit from higher (i.e. therapeutic) levels of omega-3 fats.