Because the media has hyped the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids so frequently, most people are aware of the advantages of consuming fish oil or omega-3 supplements. However, many people are not aware that this represents only half the story.
Human beings evolved to consume a diet comprising approximately a 1:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids. In Western diets, however, that ratio can be 15-to-1 or even greater [1]. This discrepancy is a result of both underconsumption of omega-3 fatty acids and an overconsumption of omega-6 fatty acids.
One of the main tenets of a Paleolithic diet is to provide our bodies with foods that match our genetically determined nutritional requirements. Dietary mismatches can cause health concerns. This is particularly true with our fatty acid ratios. The high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in Western diets has been shown to promote the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease [2,3], cancer [4,5], and inflammatory [6] and autoimmune diseases [1].
Continue reading Doc Smith’s article on thepaleodiet.com. This article excerpt used with permission of The Paleo Diet, LLC.