What is Omega-3?

Getting the balance right

Both Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids are essential but the body requires them in a ratio that is not normally achieved by the typical diet of today's industrialised nations.

Experts think that man evolved on a diet which would have had roughly 1-2 times more Omega-6 than Omega-3, though there is a school of thought which argues for a 1:1 ratio. Currently, average UK intakes are in a ratio of around 8:1 in favour of the Omega-6s, while in the US it is around 10:1, and in Australia nearer 12:1. Many individuals within those populations will have an even greater Omega-6 to Omega-3 imbalance.

Because of their wide-ranging roles, virtually every area of the human body is susceptible to problems if the balance of the two polyunsaturates becomes out of kilter. How extreme the imbalance needs to be before problems are felt is not yet known for sure and in practice it will probably vary from one person to the next.