The Deficiency of Omega-3fatty acidsin the Western Food Industry: Out of Balance
Omega-3fattyacidsarefoundintracequantitiesingreens,walnuts,sea-vegetables,someseeds,andmore
abundantlyinflaxseeds,anddeep-wateroceanfish.Thus,therearefewsourcesofnaturallyoccurring
Omega-3fattyacids.Considerthatinthewest,thefoodindustryhasmovedawayfrompromotingwhole
foodssuchasvegetables,fruits,wholegrainsandbeans,legumes,infavorofeatingmeats,processedand
refinedfoods.Omega-6fattyacids,ontheotherhand,aremoreabundantlyfoundinwholefoods,espe-
ciallyinseeds,andintheindustrializationera,thecapacitytoexpeloilfromseedstoproducevegetable
oils,suchasderivedformpeanut,sunflower,safflower,corn,soy,etc.,hascontributedgreatlytotheshift
intheOmegafattyacidbalance.TheseoilsprovideveryconcentratedsourcesofOmega-6fattyacids.Fur-
theraddingtotheimbalance,whateverlittleamountsofOmega-3fattyacidsmaybefoundinfoodsare
generallyremovedintheprocessingandrefiningoffoodstoextendtheirshelf-life,sinceOmega-3fatty
acidsbecomerancideasily. 241 Otherfactorsmakingmatersworsearethattheprocessbywhichtheseve-
getableoilsareproducedusinghightemperaturescauseupto20-50%oftheirfattyacidstobeconverted
tothe“trans”form,whichisassociatedwithincreasedcancerrates. 242 Theformationof“trans”fatty
acidsiscompoundedintheprocessofhydrogenation,theprocesswhichisappliedtovegetableoilsto
makethemsolidandcreateproductssuchasshortening,margarine,etc.Mostprocessedrefinedfoodscon-
tainhydrogenatedorpartiallyhydrogenatedoils,andshouldthereforebeavoided.Thus,eventhoughthere
isanabundanceofOmega-6fattyacidsinthewesterndiet,thequalityisgenerallypoor,anddangerous,
consistingof“trans”fattyacidsratherthanthehighquality“cis”formspresentinwholefoods.Thisis
whysomehealthandnutritionexpertsfeelthatthereisageneraldeficiencyofOmegafattyacids(both
Omega-3’s and Omega-6’s) in the western diet.
OMEGAFATTYACIDS:WHYFLAXISBETTERTHANFISH
OILS
Manyhealthsources,whenrecommendingtheomega-3fattyacidsupplement,listflaxseedoilandflax
seedoilcombinations,andalsofishoilsassourcesfortheEFAs,butrarelydotheyguidethereaderto
makeachoice.Fishoilsarederivedfromfish,andthereforearenotvegetarian.Theypromoteandper-
petuatetheneedlesskillingofanimals,unnecessarily.Inhisbook,ConsciousEating,Dr.GabrielCousens,
M.D.,saysthat“therearenonutrientsfoundinfishthatcannotbefoundinsaferandmorehealthyveget-
ariansources,”andthisholdstruefortheOmega-3fattyacids.Flaxseedshavebeenfoundtohavethe
highestcontentofOmega-3fattyacidsofallfoods,surpassingevenfish.Flaxseedscontain18-24%