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| Lacinto Kale |
There are many things necessary for our bodies to Heal, although the very best is a good diet from the get-go to be healthy and never need healing. As a part of a healthy diet,
a good ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids is necessary, as is the pH of the foods we feed our bodies. Here I'm just touching on a good ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids.
This is NOT a complete list, just the best foods I know about with a good ratio (4:1 or lower) of Omega-6 to Omega-3. Both fatty acids are necessary for our bodies, but the ratio needs to be low for good health. There are other considerations to examine for these foods, like the glycemic index/load (sugars), but I'm not covering that aspect in this post.
There are some foods that are really healthy for us in spite of a high O6-O3 ratio, like the avocado I just ate for lunch. I'll have to eat a ton of spinach or kale to balance it out, but that's okay because I love those greens as much as I love avocados. Cold-pressed virgin coconut oil is another that's very healthy yet has high O-6 and low O-3.
I'll put up a list of some foods with the worst O6-O3 ratios in a couple of days, but here are some of the really good ones (ratios of 4:1 and lower):
Vegetables
Artichoke, Globe
Asparagus
Pak Choi
Broccoli Flower, Broccoli stalks, Rapini (Broccoli Raab)
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower
Collards
Kale
Leeks
Kohlrabi
Iceberg and Romaine Lettuce
Spinach and Savoy Spinach
Dill pickles
Radish
Rutabagas
Acorn, Butternut, Hubbard and Spaghetti squash
Zucchini
Turnips, turnip greens
Watercress
Fruits
Apricots
Bananas
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cranberries
Sweet Cherries
Dried Figs
Honeydew
Lemon, Lime
Canned Peaches in Light Syrup (drained)
Pineappple
Plum
Pomegranate
Raspberries
Strawberries
Watermelon
Grains
None
Beans
Navy, Pinto, Black, Green (fresh), and Kidney Beans
Seeds
Breadfruit, Chia, Flax
Flours
Acorn, Almond (roasted), Coconut (from raw coconuts),
Meats, Seafood
Almost ALL except grain-fed beef
(grain-fed beef, conventional pork, and conventional chicken or turkey are the worst)
Oils
Most EXCEPT Avocado, Corn oil, Sunflower and Walnut oils
Misc
Cider Vinegar
Blue cheese, cheddar cheese
Coffee
Eggs except conventional eggs
Honey, maple syrup, molasses
Milk
Mushrooms
Yogurt
Hi! I recently started reading your blog and I really enjoy it, since I also aim for health and try to reach a 1:1 ration of omegas 3 and 6.
ReplyDeleteI had a few things I wanted to address about your list. I've had good fortune with my doctor, who introduced me to eating this way and also had nutrition classes to help. The only oils he recommends are butter, lard, and olive oil. All other plant and nut oils have far too much omega 6. In addition, no nuts or seeds, as they are also extremely high in plant oils. We are unable to process the good omega 3 from flax seed, so again, when we eat it, we are bombarding ourselves with omega 6. As far as meats go, obviously pasture raised is best, but beef and pork are okay (i also take a good quality fish oil). Unfortunately, all farm raised poultry is out, as they store the corn oil in their meat to a very high ratio. Someday soon, I would like to raise my own chickens on a no corn or soy diet.
One other thing you may want to research: avocado, banana, kiwi, out of season stone fruits, and celery contain a high amount of a latex like protein that also makes your body more susceptible to disease. Avocados are one of my favorite foods, but I was feeling so poorly before starting to see this doctor, I joked that if he told me to stop eating avocado, I would!
Two last things, I'm pretty young and I have celiacs. When I started following this advice, my life turned around. It was pretty amazing. The second, there is a computer program that I learned how to use where you enter what you've eaten and it will calculate the percentage of omega 6 in your diet. It's called Kim-3 and it's a little challenging to learn to use, but I've found it extremely helpful. Who knew garbanzo beans are extremely high in plant oil?!
Anyway, I hope I've given you something to ponder. I'm passionate about this subject!
-Natasha
Pooh, I just lost a long reply. Loved your comments, Thanks. You are lucky to have found the MD you use. I also didn't know we cannot utilize the O-3 from flax seed (which I don't use anyway).
DeleteI use mostly butter from pastured cows, along with home-rendered lard, and of course, EVOO. I DO use EV coconut oil because it offers some benefits that other oils do not, in spite of a high O-6.
I'll have to look into Kim-3.
I will see if I can find the link again. I downloaded the program into my pc a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteThis is a great articles on benefits of Omega 3 foods for health ==>
ReplyDeletehttp://fitnesspace.blogspot.com/2014/02/omega-3-foods-truth-about-it.html