We are talking about terra vegetarian sources of Omega 3. Different from algae, salmon or fish oils, seeds such as chia and flax contain the essential omega-3 ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) which are short chain fatty acids. ALA is an essential nutrient as it can only be introduced to our bodies through the food we consume. The seeds in PowerBlends contain rich amounts of Omega 3s and this indeed helps offset any unhealthy Omega 6 imbalance within the body. In our seed blends, the primary role for the Omega 3 rich seeds were selected carefully and because of their amazing anti-inflammatory properties. Anti-inflammation supports the body's potential to heal itself. For this reason, healing, it is vital to consume the best UNPROCESSED sources of omega 3's.
An amazing bonus of ALA - the body has the ability to convert ALA into the long chain form of Omega 3's = EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA which have proven to have a multitude of health promoting benefits. Namely heart health!
The good side.....
The body needs to have omega 6s. It uses omega 6s to construct hormones. Those hormones from omega-6 fatty acids tend to increase inflammation though. Which is really NOT a horrible thing in the right circumstances. It's a very important component of the immune response, it's vital for blood clotting, and cells don't proliferate correctly without it. It's best to maintain a healthy balance to maintain optimum health. The Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio in hemp seeds and pumpkin seeds are perfect, that's why we chose them for our seed blends.
The not so good side...
Refined vegetable oils, such as soybean and canola, are used in most of the foods you find in the center supermarket shelves. Most of these oils have a very processed type of Omegas. Most foods that come in a wrapper like cookies and sweets, even crackers have these oils in them. When our diet consists mostly of these processed foods, it's easy to get an omega 6 imbalance. Soybean and Canola oil are ubiquitous in fast foods and processed foods. A recent study found 20% of the calories in the American diet are estimated to come from this single source. One other thing to consider - if the label does not claim to be Non-GMO you can count on these oils being GMO. It's hard to find a truly good oil out there that is not GMO. So be careful and pay attention when shopping - you are going to put this into your body. Avocado, Coconut and Olive oils are our favorites.
Dr. Weil and many nutrition experts believe that before we relied so heavily on processed foods, humans consumed omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in roughly equal amounts. But to our great detriment, most North Americans and Europeans now get far too much of the omega-6s and not enough of the omega-3s.