Two Major Reasons to Avoid ALA and Omega-6 in Flax Seed Oil

There seems to be a lot of controversy about which oil is the best--flax seed oil, or fish oil. Are we talking about apples and oranges? Perhaps there is no best one, and each has its own virtues. Many experts are suggesting that flax oils are just bad for you. Are they biased, or are there real medical problems associated with seed and vegetable oils?

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There may be some problems with taking an ALA supplement like flax seed oil, so let's look at the basics.

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Flax seed oil is not all bad for you. There are a lot of great things in flax seed oil, including ALA, which is an omega-3 fatty acid. Although considered by many not to be an "essential" fatty acid, like EPA or DHA, ALA is highly sought after because the body does have dedicated uses for this fat.

For example, ALA is actually used to create small amounts of EPA and DHA, the acids that you're going to find in fish oil supplements. For many, this process seems like a secret shortcut, but this process causes the level of enzymes in your cells to become imbalanced, due to competition and interaction between the three fatty acids. ALA may be good for someone absolutely starved of omega-3, but for most of us, there's no need to take a flax seed supplement.

Also, many kinds of seeds contain omega-6 fatty acids, which you want to avoid. I am always astonished to see that there are actually supplements on American grocery store shelves which contain omega-6 fatty acids. Only someone with an extreme lack of vegetable and seed oils in their diet, like someone who never eats bread, would seek omega-6 fatty acids.

Omega-6 is in all kinds of vegetable oils, salad dressings, and carbohydrate-rich foods containing vegetable and seed oils. While Americans don't eat nearly enough fatty fish, they generally get plenty of omega-6 rich foods, and have no need for more in their diet.

Why Not Both?

Many people ask what's wrong with taking ALA as well as fish oil. ALA also uses an unnecessary amount of cellular energy, in order to yield the same benefits as EPA and DHA. So, there is no reason to take extra seed oil supplements.

If you're eating fatty fish everyday, your bases are covered--at least as long as you're sure that your dietary fish contain the balance of EPA and DHA most beneficial to the brain and cardiovascular system. To find this out, treat the fish like medicine bottles, and do plenty of research. Arctic char and salmon are high in these essential fats, but salmon is a relatively toxic source. Making these distinctions is only possible with a commitment to quality products.

Two Major Reasons to Avoid ALA and Omega-6 in Flax Seed Oil

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