Difference Between Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fats

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You have likely heard about omega-3 fats, especially the health benefits from omega-3 rich fatty fish, but what exactly are omega-3 fats, how do they differ from omega-6 fats and why is a balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fats important? Read on to find out!

What are Omega-3 fatty acids?

Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) – meaning they contain more than one double bond or unsaturation sites. They are healthy unsaturated fats essential to human health, but we need to get them from our diet.

Omega-3 fatty acids play important structural and functional components of cell membranes. They also have a number of other important functions such as supporting your heart, brain, eye and immune system heath.  

There are three major omega-3s in our diet:

1. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)

2. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)

3. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

Omega-3 ALA

Common food sources: plant foods such as flaxseed/oil, canola oil, walnuts, hempseeds, chia seeds

Our bodies can convert this short chain plant-based omega-3 to the longer chain omega-3s EPA and DHA, however, the metabolic conversion of ALA is highly variable between individuals and quite limited. Due to this, experts recommend consuming foods rich in omega-3 EPA and DHA directly and if needed, consider supplementing, since many of the health benefits associated with omega-3 fatty acids are due to the longer chain omega-3s EPA and DHA.

Omega-3 EPA and DHA

Common food sources: fish and seafood with predominant sources being fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and trout. 

Omega-3s can also be found in fortified or enhanced food products in the marketplace such as eggs and dairy.

Fish oil supplements which provide EPA and DHA are also available. Algae oil is another option as it’s a vegetarian source and typically provides only DHA.

What are Omega-6 fatty acids?

Omega-6 fatty acids are also PUFAs – meaning they contain more than one double bond or unsaturation sites. They are healthy unsaturated fats essential to human health and just like omega-3s we need to get them from our diet.

Omega-6s also play important structural and functional components of cell membranes and they also play a key role in our immune system, inflammatory responses and may also support heart health.  

Common Food Sources:

Omega-6 fats are found in vegetable oils including soybean, sunflower, corn and cottonseed. They are also found in nuts and seed such as almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. Fried fast foods, packaged processed food, as well as baked goods made with vegetables oils noted above will also be sources of omega-6 fatty acids.

There are four major omega-6s in our diet:

1. Linoleic acid (LA)

2. Arachidonic acid (AA)

3. Gamma linoleic acid (GLA)

4. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)

Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio – does it matter?

LA is the most common omega-6 in our diet, and like the omega-3 ALA which our bodies can convert to the longer chain omega-3s EPA and DHA; our bodies can also convert the omega-6 LA to longer chain omega-6 fatty acids like AA. 

Interestingly, the conversion of omega-3 ALA in our body results in molecules that are less inflammatory, whereas the conversion of omega-6 LA results in molecules that are more inflammatory.  Therefore, consuming a lot of omega-6 and less omega-3 could produce more inflammation in the body.  

A balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in the diet is therefore important. In fact, some researchers have suggested an ideal ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s of 4:1, which is much lower than about a 15:1 ratio, which can be typical of Western diets. Researchers have suggested excessive amounts of omega-6s and a very high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids can promote disease such as heart disease and other inflammatory diseases, whereas a lower ratio can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases.  More research is needed in this area to determine the exact ratio.

Rather than trying to focus on the exact ratio between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in your diet – which is still not know – many researchers and experts recommend focusing on consuming more omega-3s to help bring the ratio back in balance. As well, to help lower the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, reduce the amount of omega-6 rich vegetables oils used in food preparation and limit intake of fried fast foods, packaged processed food, as well as baked goods made with omega-6 rich vegetables oils.

Quick tips to increase omega-3s in your diet

  • Eat two servings of fatty fish each week, such as salmon, mackerel, trout, herring and sardines.
  • If you do not like fish, you could consider a fish oil supplement which provides EPA and DHA.  Algae oil is a vegetarian source and typically provides only DHA. Remember, always consult with your healthcare provider to determine if a supplement is right for you.
  • Try incorporating omega-3 fortified or enhanced food products such as eggs and dairy products.
  • Sprinkle ground flaxseed or chia seeds on your yogurt, salad or mix into your favourite sauce to increase your intake of ALA.
  • Incorporate a small handful of walnuts into your diet to boost your intake of ALA.

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