![]() ![]() However, not obtaining additional omega-9 from food sources can reduce the amount of these fatty acids in the body ( 4). What makes omega-9 different from omega-3 and omega-6 is that our body can synthesize omega-9 on its own. This imbalance in the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 can cause heart disease, inflammation, clot formation, and blood vessel constriction ( 3).Īnother type of fatty acid that is important for health, particularly in the brain, is omega-9. Now, the Western diet is typically much higher in omega-6 than omega-3, putting us at risk for having too much omega-6 and too little omega-3.Įvidence suggests that we evolved on an omega-6/omega-3 ratio of 1:1, compared with the typical Western diet ratio of as much as 16:1. ![]() We used to consume much more omega-3-rich foods and our bodies adapted to absorb just the right amount of each fatty acid in order to maintain the perfect balance between the two. As a result, we’ve developed mechanisms for maintaining a nutritional balance when the food supply was low, or even when specific types of food were largely unavailable. Over time, humans have evolved through periods of food scarcity. The key to this story is that there needs to be a balance between omega-3 and omega-6 in order to maintain optimal health. Both of these are essential for growth, as well as eye, heart, and brain health and function ( 1, 2). There are two types of fatty acids that our body cannot make on its own: omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. The story of how we evolved to get just the right balance of fatty acids is actually quite fascinating. What to know about fatty acids: omega 3-6-9 ![]()
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