Healthy Oils: Omega-3s

The style of this post is different. I'm shifting modes from stories about experiences with Whole Foods, Plant-Based (WFPB) eating with kids to a little education. Why? I firmly believe you have to know why to change in order to change. That change will then impact your entire family.

Omega-3s
Our topic for today is omega-3s. We've all probably heard about these "good" fatty acids that need to be part of our diet, but how does this work?

The first thing to know is that omega-6s, the "bad" fatty acids, compete with omega-3s, "making them less available to your body. The ideal dietary ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s is about two to one, but people eating the standard American diet today typically have a ratio of more like fifteen to one."

Benefits
Wow. There are so many benefits of omega-3s, and we'll review just a few: "They have been shown to:

• reverse heart disease
• boost immune function
• fight degenerative disease
• enhance fertility
• improve mental health
• promote healthy skin

An adequate supply makes you:

• less vulnerable to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases
• less likely to have asthmas
• less prone to many mental and emotional disorders, including depression and Alzheimer's"

Good sources of omega-3s include flaxseed and flax oil, fatty wild fish like salmon, herring, mackarel, and sardines. Lesser amounts are found in walnuts, hemp seeds, leafy greens and canola and soy oil.

Flaxseed
Flaxseeds prove to be the best choice because they contain "lignans that lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease, and lower the risk of breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer." And flaxseeds "contain none of the pollutants and heavy metals ... that are increasingly common in today's fish."

So, what should a responsible parent do? In our family, we buy ground flaxseed and I freeze it. It must be kept cold to stay fresh. I put smaller amounts in a shaker (kept in the fridge) and we "shake" the flaxseed on everything. My kids think it takes like nothing, and they don't mind putting it on PB&J, in soups, etc. However, I think it has a mild nutty flavor. This is one easy thing you can do this week to improve your health and your family's.

Take Action
But how do you keep those omega-6s down? You won't like this answer. John Robbins, the author I've been quoting here, recommends three steps:

• Get most of your fat from whole plant foods (are you surprised???) such as nuts, seeds, and avacados.
• Use extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil rather than oils high in omega-6s such as sunflower, safflore or corn oil. (Start checking your labels! You'll be surprised at how many foods contain these oils.)
• Limit your consumption of processed and fried foods, and avoid anything even partially hydrogenated, for these are often high-omega-6 oils (see a previous post).

Baby Steps
know, you probably groaned at the last one especially. Remember: baby steps. Instead of immediately banning all fried foods, instead of the fries with your burger, get a salad next time. Encourage your kids to get a side of veggies. Share a side of fries and have everyone get a veggie side. Remember, you are transitioning. It's not a race. This is for the long term.

Break out some flaxseed and try it with some of your lunches. Or, put it on the dinner table and require everyone to at least sprinkle a little bit on their food. Any change is a good step toward WFPB success. Share your stories! We want to hear about your successes and failures.

(All quotes from John Robbins "Healthy at 100," also author of "Diet for a New America.")