Importance of Omegas | Omegas Types | Balance | Q&A
It is widely known that a Vegetarian diet tends to be a healthy diet, but because it does not include fish, it tends to provide lower intakes of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are increasingly acknowledged to have important health impacts.
This lack of Omega-3 may counteract some of the benefits of the Vegetarian diet, but there are several Vegetarian sources of Omega-3, which are outlined below.
The Importance of Omegas
Both Omega-3 & Omega-6 are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) – and they also known as essential fatty acids. The body can’t produce them – so they need to be present in the diet.
Approximately 20% of the dry weight of the human brain is made up of PUFAs, and a third of fatty acids in the central nervous system are PUFAs, of both omega-3 and omega-6 groups.
The Omega-6 group of PUFAs are important in the pro-inflammatory response, which is important in the body’s reaction to infection, stress or injury. On the other hand, Omega-3 fatty acids are important in damping down the inflammatory response and making sure it doesn’t get out of control.
Types of Omega-3
There are several fatty acids in the omega-3 family, which all have different roles in the body.
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is the ‘parent’ of the omega-3 fatty acids. It cannot be made in the human body. It can be used to provide energy, and as a starter material for the other longer-chain omega-3s.
Stearidonic acid (SDA) is another very useful starter material for the other longer chain omega-3s, and the body can convert a higher ratio of SDA into them than with ALA.
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is a very long chain omega-3 fatty acid, which is an important starting point for anti-inflammatory molecules known as prostaglandins and leukotrienes.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a very long chain omega-3 fatty acid, which is important for cell membranes and the central nervous system. It is very important for visual performance. |
DHA and EPA are mainly found in oily fish such as mackerel, herring, so it is particularly important for Vegetarians and Vegans to consume enough ALA and SDA for their bodies to convert.
The Importance of Omega Balance
A good balance of Omegas in the body is required for general good health – including being good for brain function, circulation, anti-inflammation, cholesterol balance, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, ADHD, skin and hair.
Many people though, including Vegetarians, get high levels of Omega-6 fatty acids in their diets, so often the balance between Omega-3 and Omega-6 in the body is not optimal for good health. Studies suggest that diets which are low in Omega-3 fatty acids or where the omega-6/3 balance is strongly skewed in favour of the omega-6, may be associated with increased risk of inflammatory skin and joint problems, heart disease, diabetes, some types of cancer, hyperactivity and learning disorders, and depressive illnesses
Advice on the optimum balance of omega 6 to Omega 3 in the diet suggests that it should be around 3:1, whereas in many modern Western diets, the average is much higher, around 20:1.
Getting the Balance Right
To regain the optimum balance of Omega-3 to Omega-6, Vegetarians have a number of options. There are Omega-3 supplements available that are derived from algae, or alternatively, certain seed oils can be taken daily to regain the balance. See the chart below for details of the Omega-3 and Omega-6 content of common oils.
Flaxseed Oil is a good source of omega-3 to regain the right balance of Omega-3 to Omega-6 with its high content of ALA. GOOD OIL is ideal to retain the balance of Omegas, as it has a ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 of 3:1 which is widely thought to the optimum balance. It also contains SDA, which is a more potent form of Omega-3 than ALA and can be more easily converted into the longer chain fatty acids by the body.
Other sources of Vegetarian Omega-3 include Tofu, Leafy Green Vegetables, Nuts, Seeds and Eggs.
Questions & Answers
Q. Can you cook with GOOD HEMP SEED OIL?
Answer:
Yes! It tastes great, as celebrity chefs such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver will testify. Due to its high proportion of unsaturated fat though, (11% monounsaturated, 76% polyunsaturated) it is prone to oxidation on heating, which starts to break down the nutritional benefits. So, for maximum Omegas, use GOOD OIL for salad dressings, drizzling and dips. The smoke point (the point when the Oil starts to burn and evaporate) of GOOD Oil varies between 175-180C (which is higher than most other hemp seed oils). We had this tested by the Liverpool John Moores University. Heating GOOD Oil does not create transfats, so don’t worry about that!
Q. Should you keep GOOD HEMP SEED OIL in the fridge?
Answer:
GOOD OIL will keep for longer if it is kept cool and in the dark. The dark glass bottle does a lot of the work for you though, so keeping it in the fridge is only necessary if you want to keep it for a long time. Remember to keep the bottle tightly stoppered to prevent oxidation.
Q. How does GOOD HEMP SEED OIL compare with flaxseed oil?
Answer:
Flaxseed has broadly similar overall proportions of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids
Flaxseed has a lower overall proportion of LA (omega 6) and a higher proportion of ALA (omega-3), so it would be more effective in modifying the omega-6/3 ratio than GOOD OIL.
However, flaxseed does not have any GLA or Stearidonic acid, which are useful stepping stones in the production of the very long chain arachidonic acid (n-6) and DHA and EPA (n-3), respectively.
GOOD Oil is more versatile than Flaxseed oil, and although everyone’s tastes are different – most people prefer GOOD OIL on a taste test.
GOOD Oil tends to be less expensive than flaxseed oils as we use 100% of the hemp crop. The money we make from selling the hemp fibre goes towards subsidising the hemp seed for us.
We asked Kings College London Department of Nutritional Sciences to assess the nutritional attributes of GOOD HEMP SEED OIL. Professor Tom Sanders, the leading authority in nutrition compiled the following report on our behalf:
Download Kings Report [PDF]
 
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