(EMAILWIRE.COM, April 28, 2009 ) Angusville, Manitoba - When many Americans hear about Omega essential fatty acids, they immediately think of the much talked about Omega 3s. However, Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are both important to a healthy diet. Even more important is striking the right balance between the two. FlaxMatters.com compares the natural ratios of Omega 3 to Omega 6 essential fatty acids in several common oils, and teaches consumers how to improve that ratio with flax seed oil.

“It is very easy for people to get more than enough Omega 6s in their diets,” says Eric Borchardt of FlaxMatters.com, a flax information Web site that offers Pizzey’s Premium flax products made with the MeadowPure™ quality process. “The problem is that Omega 3s are less common in the average diet of most Americans, making an ideal 1:1 ratio unrealistic for most. Because of that, the accepted target ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 is 1:4. An excess of Omega 6, commonly found in processed and fried foods, can have an undesirable pro-inflammatory effect, which is why it is important to balance that with the anti-inflammatory properties of Omega 3."

According to FlaxMatters.com, most Americans currently don't come close to that targeted 1:4 radio of Omega 3 to Omega 6. Instead, they fall in the 1:20 - 1:30 range, meaning they ingest significantly more Omega 6 than Omega 3. Many common oils used in cooking or processed foods play a role in that imbalance.

"Canola oil is often considered a relatively 'healthy' oil," says Borchardt. "It contains 22% Omega 6 and only 12% Omega 3, which doesn't get people closer to balancing the two essential fatty acids. Other oils have the same problem, with soybean oil featuring 51% Omega 6 and only 7% Omega 3 and corn oil being even worse with 59% Omega 6 and just 2% Omega 3. None get consumers to that target 1:4 ratio. Flaxseed oil and fish oil are the two most common oils with balances favoring Omega 3s. Flaxseed oil specifically features only 10% Omega 6, but 50% Omega 3. Adding more flaxseed oil or milled organic flax seed to the diet gives a surplus of Omega 3 fatty acids. That works in conjunction with decreasing the intake of Omega 6-heavy oils to help people better balance the two to avoid inflammation while enjoying other health benefits of flax."

FlaxMatters.com recommends adding milled organic flax seed to the diet
instead of taking the flaxseed oil alone, as the seeds offer other benefits. In addition to being the best natural source of alpha-linoleic (ALA) Omega 3s, flax seed also offers protein, minerals, fiber, and lignans.

About Pizzey’s Nutritionals

Pizzey’s Nutritionals is the largest high quality, food-grade flaxseed supplier in North America. The company was founded in 1991 in the heart of the flaxseed belt, and markets flax-based ingredients for baking, beverages, supplements, and animal nutrition under the MeadowPure brand which ensures the most nutritious and most stable flaxseed available in the market. The MeadowPure process allows the company to offer premium flaxseed products through a cleaning and sorting process involving electronically separating whole, plump flax seeds from damaged or dark seeds, providing a richer source of ALA. This process weeds out damaged seeds that can limit shelf life, leaving MeadowPure milled flaxseeds with a two-year life, with whole flaxseeds lasting indefinitely. The strict quality controls in the MeadowPure process also enable the seeds to be stored at room temperature, rather than having to be refrigerated (the way flax seeds traditionally have to be stored). Pizzey’s Nutritionals was acquired by Glanbia plc, an international leader in dairy foods and nutritional ingredients, in 2007.

For more information about FlaxMatters or Pizzey’s Nutritionals, please visit www.FlaxMatters.com or contact Eric Borchardt at 608-329-2800.

Contact Information:
FlaxMatters
Eric Borchardt
Tel: 608-329-2800
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