Eating for balance
You do not need a test to start here. A lot of the omega 6 in our diets comes from a short list of ingredients, and knowing which ones they are is most of the work.
Where the omega 6 comes from
- Vegetable oils are the big one: soybean, corn, sunflower, cottonseed and safflower are all especially high in omega 6.
- Packaged snacks are usually built on those same oils, which is why cutting back on them moves the needle more than people expect.
- Whole, minimally processed food is the simplest way around all of it.
What to reach for instead
- Cook with extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil. Both are lower in omega 6.
- Eat fatty fish like salmon, sardines or mackerel at least twice a week.
- Add plant sources like flaxseed, chia seeds and walnuts for variety.
Why this matters
Human evolution favored roughly equal amounts of omega 6 and omega 3 in the diet. Modern eating has pushed that ratio to an average of about 25 to 1. Researchers have spent decades studying what that shift means, and it is the reason the ratio is worth measuring rather than guessing at.
The longer explanation →Want help sorting out what to change first? That is what the free consultation is for.
Book a Free Consultation