I have never done the South Beach Diet, but I did subscribe to the newsletter sometime ago, so I had this delivered to my email this morning.....



Omega-3 Vs. Omega-6


By now you've heard a lot about the benefit of omega-3 fatty acids, found in foods such as fatty fish, flax seeds, and canola oil. But what's the deal with omega-6s? Where do they fit into the picture, and are they as important as omega-3s?

Omega-3s and omega-6s are known as essential fatty acids. That's because these polyunsaturated fatty acids cannot be made by the body and, therefore, must come from the diet. Omega-3s and omega-6s have different chemical compositions, hence the different names. They also play different roles in the body.

While omega-3s have been shown to protect against stroke and heart disease, omega-6s—most commonly found in vegetable oils—are converted in the body to a class of hormones called prostaglandins that help regulate inflammation, blood pressure, and other body functions.

Foods prevalent in the American diet (processed foods and some snack foods, for example) contribute more omega-6s to our diet than we need. Americans, in fact, consume considerably more omega-6s than omega-3s. A diet too high in omega-6s and too low in omega-3s may theoretically promote cardiovascular disease, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. To keep things in balance, it's important to maximize your intake of omega-3s. The South Beach Diet encourages this with its emphasis on choosing the right carbs and the right fats.

My question is, what type of foods do the Omega-6's come from and if I am using a Super Omega Complex on a daily basis,, how do I know if I am geting to many of these Omega-6's? Or is the above statement even true?

Thanks in advance!

Seeds, Soybeans, Whole Grains [in large amounts,] Grain Germs, Vegetable/Grain Oils [Corn, Sunflower, Soybean, Vegetable, etc...,] and Liquid/Soft Margarines. Any of these products preceded by the words "Hi-Oleic" means that the plant has been bred to produce a greater amount of Oleic Acid. That usually means that Hi-Oleic varieties are much lower in Omega 6s than their Low-Oleic cousins. On a side note, Trans-Fats [Hard Margarines and Vegetable Shortenings] are worse than Omega-6s, so you will want to avoid them also.

Primarily Omega 3 -- Cold Water Fish, Fish Oils, Flaxseeds, and Flaxseed Oil
Primarily Omega 6 -- Sunflower Seeds, Wheat Germ, Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Vegetable Oil, Sunflower Oil, and Liquid Margarine.
Saturated/Monounsaturated -- Beef, Pork, Lard, and Bacon
Primarily Saturated -- Butter, Cream, Dairy Milk, Coconut Oil, and Coconut Milk
Primarily Monounsaturated -- Some Warmer Water Fish, Avocadoes, Olives, Nuts, Peanuts, Pretty much Anything "Hi-Oleic," Olive Oil, Peanut Oil, Avocado Oil, and Canola Oil.
Primarily Trans-Fat* -- Crackers, Hydrogenated Oils, Cool Whip, and Non-Dairy Creamer
Trans-Fat/Omega-6 -- Most Commercially Fried/Baked/Packaged Foods, Tub and Stick Margarines [other than Olive and Canola Based,] Vegetable Shortening, Crisco, and Partially Hydrogenated Oils
Trans-Fat/Saturated/Omega-6 -- Meat/Vegetable Shortenings
Trans-Fat/Monounsaturated -- Canola and Olive Oil Based Margarines, and Peanut Butter [other than those specifically marked "Natural"]

*Actually most of these would be better described as ALL or 100% Trans-Fat. Hydrogenated Oils are 100% Trans-Fat. Crackers, Cool Whip, and many Non-Dairy Creamers are made with Fully Hydrogenated or 100% Trans-Fat Oils...meaning that ALL [or 99.9%] of the fat content comes from Trans-Fat. In fact, Cool Whip and Non-Dairy Creamers are basically nothing more than a blend of Trans-Fat [Full Hydrogenated Oils] and Corn Syrup.

Thank you for the reply, I guess I don't really need to worry about it, I really don't eat any of the things mentioned in that group.