Omega Fats

From the Food Coach

The Omega Connection
The body needs fat, plain and simple. Fats are our energy reserves, they also insulate the body and protect and cushion vital organs. Every cell in the body needs fatty acids to produce and build new cells, as they are critical in the transmission of nerve impulses and proper brain development, as well as being present in the cell membrane.

There are three main fatty acids: saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fats. Saturated and monounsaturated fats are the types of fat the body will burn first, whereas some polyunsaturated fats are used for energy but most have other vital functions in the body. There are two fatty acids from the polyunsaturated category that the body cannot make; therefore they are called essential fats, or EFAs. The Nutrition Almanac notes that "EFAs are invaluable for the production and movement of energy throughout the body. They regulate the transport of oxygen and are vital in maintaining the integrity of cell structure. They are crucial for blood clotting, for support of the immune system, and for synthesising hormones such as prostaglandins which regulate numerous biological processes including the healing mechanism."

While the two essential fats, Omega 3 and Omega 6 are both necessary for good health, it is the ratio of the two that is critical for maintaining optimum health. The ideal ratio of Omega 3: Omega 6 fats is 1:1, a diet our ancestors existed on for millions of years. This proportion of fats in the ancient diet allowed for optimum brain development and evolution into the modern man. They ate a mixture of meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, with little or no grains.

Today, however, our diets contain a ratio thought to be around 1:15 omega-3 to omega-6 fats. The increase in the latter can be attributed to the escalating amount of vegetable oils and soybeans being used in processed foods, both of which are rich in Omega-6 fats, and farmers are choosing to feed livestock grains over grass simply because it's cheaper.

Although both fats are needed for good health, too much omega-6 can trigger inflammatory responses in the body. Both EFAs compete for the same enzymes in performing their conversions to other fats, so an excess of omega-6 will block beneficial omega-3 fats from being absorbed and utilised by the body.

Omega-3 fats are important in the diet for many reasons. Their strong anti-inflammatory action has the potential to prevent or improve many common diseases such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, arthritis and obesity as well as other widespread afflictions such as acne, eczema, allergies and menstrual problems. Omega 3 fats also play an important role in the treatment and prevention of nervous disorders, as science is now learning that depression may be an inflammatory condition of the brain. Common omega-3 fatty acids used by the body are alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), eicosapentaeonic acid (EPA) and docosahexaeonic acid (DHA).

The effects of essential fatty acids on certain diseases have been the focus of many scientific studies, with research into heart disease, depression and asthma bringing positive results. The Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) notes that in a large randomised, placebo-controlled trial that tested supplemental fish oil fatty acids, cardiovascular mortality was significantly reduced. In addition, arterial function improved, inflammatory processes in the arteries were reduced, triglycerides were lowered, HDL (good) cholesterol raised, and blood pressure was lowered. Other studies have shown that omega-3 acids have benefited childhood and adult depression, as well as arthritic states.

When deciding to supplement with essential fatty acids, it's important to do so for the right reasons. Are you vegan or vegetarian who doesn't eat fish? Is your diet of poor quality and do you rely heavily on grains and processed foods? If your lifestyle isn't healthy, supplementing with EFAs isn't going to fix it - good nutrition starts with a well-rounded diet. Focus on including more omega-3-rich foods in daily meals, and after a few months, if there has been no change in health then consider supplementation.

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, canola oil, walnuts, oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout, anchovies, sardines, herring and tuna, and is also found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach and watercress as well as some types of algae. Meat from organically-raised, grass-fed animals contain some omega-3 fats, as do organic fortified eggs. Including several of these foods every day will boost your omega-3 intake and contribute to improved mood and energy, great skin and hair and a healthy cardiovascular system. A sample daily diet may look like this:

Breakfast Natural muesli with plain yoghurt, fresh fruit and 1 tbsp flaxseed oil
Morning snack Handful of raw almonds, sunflower seeds and walnuts
Lunch Frittata made with omega-3 organic eggs and roast vegies; green leafy salad with flax oil and lemon juice dressing
Afternoon snack 2 oatcakes topped with goat's cheese and sliced tomato
Dinner Grilled salmon marinated in ginger, garlic and tamari, served with stir-fried Asian greens and brown rice
Evening snack Fresh strawberries and herbal tea


In addition to an omega-3-rich diet, decreasing your intake of omega-6 fats will help redress the imbalance. Choose fresh over processed foods and read labels of products you do purchase, stop using corn, safflower, soybean, sunflower or cottonseed oils and reduce consumption of soy-based products and grain-fed meats and eggs. Although olive oil is considered higher in omega-6 than omega-3, it contains smaller amounts so is great to keep using in cooking. Otherwise coconut oil is a fantastic oil to use in cooking over high temperatures as it doesn't denature and turn rancid.

Supplementing your diet with omega-3 fatty acids isn't as easy as a trip to the local chemist either. The retail brand fish oils that sit on their shelves generally have low amounts of EPA and DHA, the oils may be sourced from unsafe or poor quality fish and the product may have been sitting in the shop for a while, in which case the oils have probably turned rancid and offer no nutritional support anymore.

Do your body a favour and visit a natural health practitioner or qualified chemist to ask their opinion on a specialised supplement that suits your needs. A professional brand of fish oil will most likely have a higher concentration of EPA and DHA, thereby reducing the need to swallow mountains of pills and increasing effectiveness. The bottle or jar should be dark in colour to prevent oxidisation and once opened, make sure to store your fish oils in the fridge for freshness.

Getting it - where to find your Omega 3

It's fine to say you need Omega 3 fatty acids, but where do you find them, and how good are those sources in comparison to one another? The following table lists some common foods high in Omega 3 and how many grams in a serving size. Keep in mind that a serve of fish is most likely larger than 100 grams, so the level of fatty acids may be higher in a regular meal. Currently, the recommended daily intake of Omega 3 fatty acids is 650 mg per day, but many believe it should be closer to 1000 mg for maximum health benefits.

Source Omega-3 content (mg) Serving size
Salmon (fresh) > 2000 100 grams
Salmon (canned) 1440 100 grams
Mackerel 1500 100 grams
Barramundi 100 100 grams
Blue eye cod 310 100 grams
Sydney rock oysters 300 100 grams
Snapper 220 100 grams
Tuna (fresh) 300 100 grams
Tuna (canned) 161 1 small can
Sardines 1800 100 grams
Fish oil supplements 1000 1 capsule
Flaxseeds (ground) 3500 2 tbsp
Flaxseed oil 8500 1 tbsp
Walnuts (halved) 2300 1/4 cup