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For free friendly advice or to order over the phone with a card call: 01772 883950
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Ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 in Flaxseed
Flaxseed is a rich source of omega 3 essential fatty acids (EFA’s). It is, in fact, the best plant source of omega 3 fatty acids. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) makes up about 55% of the composition of flaxseed oil. Canola oil, the next best plant source of omega 3 oils, only has 11% ALA.
The ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 in flaxseed is important, too. It contains three times as much omega 3 fatty oils as it does omega 6. This can be an important factor in balancing the omega 6:omega 3 ratio in our diets.
Ideally, we should eat three or four times as much omega 6 EFA’s as omega 3. Some people say the ratio should actually be even lower, closer to 1:1. Most Westerners, however, eat ten, thirty or even fifty times as much omega 6 oils as omega 3. Adding a substance that is high in omega 3 EFA’s can help balance that ratio, especially if you also reduce your omega 6 EFA’s.
The Controversy
There is, however, a bit of a controversy about the availability of the omega 3 EFA’s in flaxseed.
Most of the research on the beneficial effects of omega 3 EFA’s has been done on fish and fish oils. Although it is known that flaxseed and some other oily vegetables also contain high amounts of omega 3 oils, the profile of the oils in plants is different from that in animal tissue. Therefore, it is uncertain if the available ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 in flaxseed is optimal.
Most research on omega 3 oils has focused on the EFA’s eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are found in fish oil but not in flaxseed. Flaxseed contains alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which our bodies convert to DHA and EPA.
There are some problems with this, however. Omega 6 EFA’s, which are in excess in our diets, compete for the enzymes that convert ALA to the other omega 3 oils. ALA is converted to EPA at a rate of 5-10%, and to DHA at a rate of 2-5%. Which means that very little of the omega 3 oils in flaxseed are available as EPA or DHA.
Studies are being conducted that suggest that ALA is beneficial in its unconverted form. Clearly, more research needs to be conducted to determine the benefits of the omega 3 EFA’s in flaxseed and other plant oils. | | |
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