Guide O-3-O-6

One of the star nutrients in food is essential fatty acids, or vital fats as they are often called. The reason is that our body uses fats and oils almost exclusively as fuel to produce energy, but more importantly, they are a component of the brain, since 60% of its weight is fat.
Initially you should to know that fats from oils They differ depending on the type of fat they contain and are therefore divided into polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated.

-Polyunsaturated fatty acids are found mainly in sunflower oil, corn oil and some fish oils. We often hear about how beneficial it is to consume these types of fats because they help reduce blood cholesterol.

-Monounsaturated fatty acids help reduce LDL, known as bad cholesterol, and support heart and brain functions.

- Saturated fatty acids are found mainly in animal foods such as meat and dairy products, butter and in some vegetable oils such as palm oil, coconut oil. It is important to limit the intake of saturated fats to no more than 10% daily because this type of fat increases cholesterol and then damages our blood vessels.
 

Omega Fatty Acids or Essential Fatty Acids 

 Essential fats belong to the group of polyunsaturated fats. Because our body does not synthesize them, their intake occurs exclusively from our diet and we obtain them through two large families of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

From Omega-3 we have:
1.    Alpha Linolenic Acid – ALA
2.    Docosahexaenoic Acid – DHA
3.    Eicosapentaenoic Acid – EPA

From Omega-6 we have:
1.    Linoleic Acid – LA
2.    Gamma Linoleic Acid – GLA
3.    Arachidonic Acid – AA

Actions of Omega-3/Omega-6 fatty acids:
Many studies report the beneficial benefits of Omega-3 fats on heart function, cholesterol reduction and HDL increase. Omega-3s prevent the formation of gallstones, are a structural component of membranes, reduce inflammation in the body and intestines, enhance brain function, prevent platelet adhesion, benefit bones by slowing osteoporosis, moisturize the skin and contribute to the proper development of children.
Omega-6 fats act synergistically with Omega-3 fats and support the above functions and benefits when consumed in the correct proportions. The Western diet It contains a lot of Omega-6 which come mainly from meat, eggs, dairy products, sunflower oil, palm oil and corn oil.

It is important to emphasize that overconsumption of Omega-6 releases substances in our body that promote inflammation. However, it should be noted that GLA is the only Omega-6 with anti-inflammatory effects on white blood cells and in combination with Omega-3, the anti-inflammatory effects occur throughout the body!! 

Dietary sources of Omega-3:
Walnuts, almonds, flaxseed, pine nuts, spinach, parsley, tofu (soy product), fatty fish, mustard seeds, hemp seeds and Chia.
Dietary sources of Omega-6:
Peanut oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, and processed foods. These foods should be consumed in moderation.

Meat, eggs, and dairy products should be consumed in small quantities because they contain arachidonic acid.
Spirulina, evening primrose oil, borage oil, and blackcurrant oil contain GLA, significantly reduce inflammation, and their consumption is recommended.

The safest way to achieve the ideal ratio in the consumption of Omega-3/Omega-6 fats is to introduce dietary supplements to boost their intake when needed. The options available to someone who wants to use formulations include high-quality fish oils and vegan sources of pure plant-based seeds that are directly absorbed by our body.
In our neighborhood pharmacy, there are many nutritional supplements that adequately cover the combination of the large family of omegas consisting of omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9.