Facts About Omega 6 Oils & Omega 3 Oils

It is now well acknowledged and documented fact that there is a rise in obesity, metabolic syndrome, heart disease and type II diabetes in last few decades.

Generation ago, human beings lived on a diet of meat, vegetables, fruits which have Omega 6 to Omega 3 ration of approximately 1:1. Omega 6 in nature is found in egg yolk, red meat and dairy products. Omega 3 is found in oily fish such as salmon, herring, sardines and trout, flaxseed and walnuts.

However these days, as more and more Asians adopt a western diet which typically consists of fast food, processed foods, and Omega 6 rich vegetables such as sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil) we are now consuming excessive Omega 6 on daily basis. While our consumption of fish oil which is high in Omega 3 has dropped as our daily diet of fish has decreased. This imbalance in Omega 6: Omega 3 ratio has led to an increase in obesity, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis, arthritis and many more.

American fast food diet of processed cheese, processed meat, and processed refined oils diet can be as high as 15:1 to 16:1 ration of Omega 6 and Omega 3 .Even as individuals go on a low fat diet, they continue to eat the same ratio of Omega 6 : Omega 3 thus, they have difficulty losing weight, lowering their cholesterol levels and see no improvement in inflammatory diseases.

SO IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE TO THIS?

YES THERE IS: VIRGIN COCONUT OIL.....

Historically, Asian diets which have consisted mainly of cooking with Coconut Oil and Mediterranean diets which are high in Olive oil , have all had much better overall population health statistics of heart diseases and obesity. It is only in the recent few decades with globalization, we started to consume processed Omega 6 polyunsaturated oils, and we saw a parallel increases in obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Processed Vegetable Oils

*   Are very unstable and easily damaged by heat, light and oxygen.

*   Easily oxidized and turn stale and rancid.

*   Often damaged during the manufacturing process by heat generated in the process itself. This method is still used due to cheaper costs of manufacturing.

*   damaged again when used to manufacture fast food, processed food, etc

*   The imbalance caused due to such excess consumption of Omega 6 oils in our diet has increased that it is causing the rise in heart diseases, obesity and other lifestyle diseases. 

Virgin Coconut oils

 * contains more than 65% of medium chain fatty acids

* medium chain fatty acids are  smaller molecules therefore are easily digested and used by our body to produce energy similar to carbohydrates and are not circulated in the bloodstream unlike other fats. Does not get stored in rat cells  hence does not contribute to weight gain

*Medium chain fatty acids of Virgin coconut oil are resistant to oxidation and does not get rapidly altered by free radicals during heating and cooking. Hence do not create oxidized LDL cholesterol fats which is more toxic to our body than LDL cholesterol.