Omega-3 to omega-6: why the ratio decides

Omega-3 to omega-6: why the ratio decides
Magazine

Omega-3 to omega-6: why the ratio decides

Both fatty acids are essential. What’s interesting is not the single number but their ratio , and for many people today it is out of balance.

The balance
Two essential fats

What it’s about

Omega-3 and omega-6 are polyunsaturated fatty acids the body cannot make itself. It needs both. In metabolism they partly work in opposite directions, which is why the ratio matters.

A diet with many processed products and cheap seed oils shifts the ratio strongly towards omega-6.

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How to bring it into balance

  • Boost omega-3 sources: flaxseed, hemp and walnut oil provide plant omega-3 (ALA), oily sea fish the long-chain EPA and DHA.
  • Don’t overdo omega-6: lots of sunflower, safflower and corn oil deliver plenty of omega-6. Use more sparingly.
  • Raw not hot: the sensitive omega-3 oils belong cold on the food, not in the hot pan.

It’s not about counting grams, but about the direction: more omega-3-rich, cold-pressed oils, fewer one-sided industrial oils.

Said honestly

The „ideal“ ratio is debated in science, exact targets are contested. What is not contested is the direction: today’s average diet tends to deliver too much omega-6 and too little omega-3. Those who know this choose their oils more consciously. We make no health promises. We give you the facts, the decision stays with you.

Sources and further reading

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