BBC Radio show on Omega 3 and 6 fats

El_Dangeroso

Great show on the devastating effect an imbalance of omega 6 and 3 fats has on our health:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00ncwwm

Yet another reason to give those fake butter spreads a miss.

Khannie

Decent listen. Cheers.

Macha

Just on this topic, I read this article in the Economist today. A lot of it is about regulating nutritional and health claims in food. And there's a fair section on the confusing topic of omega-3s and 6s

http://www.economist.com/sciencetechnology/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14743783

And this is a little insert that sums up the omega issues:

http://www.economist.com/sciencetechnology/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14743757

eclectichoney

Interesting read

I'm now a little worried about consuming so many nuts (about 20g a day I'd say - a mix of almonds, walnuts & brazils), given the high omega 6: omega 3 ratio?? Would be interested if someone could shed some light on this. I don't know what other foods in my diet my be high in omega 6 as well (I usually eat oats with water, lean meat, veg and 1 ryevita a day!). Is it a case that if nuts are the only real thing I eat high in omega-6 that it won't do too much damage, in terms of my overall ratio?

I do eat oily 100g fish every day if that helps at all?

El_Dangeroso

I think the key eclectichoney is to avoid industrially processed vegetable oil such as soybean, sunflower or anything referred to in an ingredient list as 'vegetable oil'. If your eating nuts or cold-pressed oils they don't have as much omega 6. If your eating oily fish or taking a supplement that sounds like a good balance to me.

Macha

I found this useful list:

http://weightoftheevidence.blogspot.com/2006/10/omega-3-and-omega-6-food-sources.html

Not sure how authoritative they are but I'd just note that the figures for nut oils may not necessarily be the same as those for nuts/nut butters.