Your experience with omega 3 and 6 balance

#1

Hello everybody,

I was wondering if anyone noticed some big differences when consciously trying to balance the ratio of omega 3 to 6. What kind of symptoms made you pay attention to it?

I don’t eat vegetable oils, but I do eat a lot of grain fed (i.e. cheaper) chicken and pork. I understand that the quality of the food is important, but I like to think that the worst meat is still better than the best bread… And I am a student on a budget, so I do what I can.

I would prefer not to buy a supplement, but I’m going to start to eat sardines weekly to help a little bit. I would just like to know who’s paying attention to this ratio (or not!), why and how.

Thank you

(Davy) #2

I’ve started paying attention. At worst, I’ll do 1:2 in omega3 to omega6, but strive for 1:1.
In 10 days I’ll let you know how this has done for me, as I get blood work done then. Can’t tell any differences yet, but know it’s really good for you/me. There are numerous benefits. At your age, you’ll probably add 10-20 years to your life, with better brain health/thinking ability all the way to 100.
Chia seeds are a little better than flax seeds, but both are good. They’re pretty cheap. I don’t care for the flax seeds, too plumpy, but the chia seeds are easy to get down; 1 or 2 tbsp is no problem.
Mackerel is pretty inexpensive, for a variety. Walnuts are great.
Carlsen Cod liver oil, if you can afford it, is great and packed stuff.

(Windmill Tilter) #3

Here is my budget plan for getting a 1.5:1 ratio of O6:O3. I’ve been eating this way for quite a while, and I’ll be doing it for at least the next 3 months. I’ve been eating hamburger and herring dail6 pretty much since I started keto, so it’s impossible to separate any O3 benefits from my general keto NSV’s. I feel fit as a fiddle, but I may have even if I didn’t eat as much fatty fish.

I’m only eating 15 days a month until March, so even though smoked herring is pricey compared to beef, it’s still a pretty inexpensive grocery bill on a monthly basis. It’s a hell of a lot cheaper than eating grass-fed beef every day, and it has dramatically more O3.

tBqjAYy.png751×186

(Windmill Tilter) #4

The best source on info on the Omega 3 and Omega 6 ratios of different foods has been on the Self nutrition website. You can really drill down into the lipid profile if you click on “more detail”.

The basic thing I’ve learned is that beef (not just grass-fed) is much better bet than pork and chicken if you want to balance out the O6:O3 ratio. That’s a lucky thing because I prefer it… :yum:

Ex:

https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/finfish-and-shellfish-products/4066/2

(Bunny) #5

I love sardines.

[1] An Increase in the Omega-6/Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ratio Increases the Risk for Obesity: “…Recent studies in humans show that in addition to absolute amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acid intake, the omega-6/omega-3 ratio plays an important role in increasing the development of obesity via both AA eicosanoid metabolites and hyperactivity of the cannabinoid system, which can be reversed with increased intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). A balanced omega-6/omega-3 ratio is important for health and in the prevention and and management of obesity. …” …More

[2] Dietary sources of DHA include:

  • Algae - Certain algae are natural sources of DHA and EPA. …
  • Fatty fish including anchovies, salmon, herring, mackerel, tuna and halibut.
  • Eggs naturally contain small amounts of DHA, but new DHA enriched eggs can contain up to 57mg of DHA per egg. …” …More
(Bob M) #6

I am anti-PUFA. Having said that, there’s only so much anti-PUFA I can be. For instance, I’ll be making two new (to me) recipes this weekend…and both involve dark meat chicken.

To combat this, I try to eat higher saturated fat. Dairy (such has cheese, cream, cream cheeses) can help if you don’t have issues with dairy. Butter can help. I still try to limit my chicken and pork (particularly things like bacon) and nuts, and try to maximize my saturated fat intake, such as eating more cocoa/cacao butter.

In the past, I tried to eat more fish. Now, I don’t try that nearly as much, though for lunch tomorrow, I’ll be eating an all fish meal. I tend to buy the cheaper fish in olive oil (usually from Costco).

As a student with limited resources, I’d not worry about this too much. Eat more beef if you can (way better in O6/O3, even for grain-fed), any other ruminant if you can (eg, lamb), fish when you can, limit chicken and pork if you can. If you can’t it’s not a big deal. If you like to cook or want to learn, some French-style high fat, cream/butter sauces would be a good place to start. Those could help up the saturated fat.

(I know: you’re thinking, “What does saturated fat have to do with the O6/O3 ratio?” But I’ve found so many benefits from prioritizing high saturated fat – NOT high fat, which can be high PUFA – that I’m suggesting this to you. I’ve found so many benefits, in fact, that we’re moving our family in this direction. And I was formerly anti-fat and higher protein.)

#7

Thank you all for the answers!

I’ll try to improve my ratio considering all your tips, but without worrying too much about it, because… cortisol and all.
My saturated fat is already pretty high. I can cook, but I am also lazy, so most of the time I just put butter on my meat without doing any special sauce.

What I am still wondering is what kind of symptoms should I look for, or what could improve with a better ratio? My understanding is that it would lower inflammation, which manifests itself in a lot of different ways depending on the individual, is that right?

#8

Doing some research and it’s one of the first articles that popped up, with sunflower oil, corn oil and soybean oil listed as " healthy sources of omega 6 fats". :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

(Katie) #9

A little pricey, but I like to add these.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #10

Here’s a contra. References are linked in the text where appropriate.

#11

Thank you for the answer!
May I ask, have you seen any difference since adding those to your diet? How many a week do you eat?

(Katie) #12

To be honest, I am not sure if I have noticed a difference. They definitely provide good nutrients that I was not getting elsewhere.

I average about one a week. You can do a half at a time if you want. What I do is open it, take out about half, then freeze the rest right in the can. It melts/thaws quickly, and actually tastes nice slightly frozen.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #13

I buy these locally here in North Vancouver:


(Edith) #14

You might find this podcast useful.

@PhiloKeto, I’m not sure I trust anything that comes from Harvard these days. I think you provided an appropriate emoji.