How Much Omega-3,6, 9 Do I Need Each Day From Foods And Supplements?

The body needs both a substantial and regular amount of omega oils and proteins every day single; to be able to support the healthy function of your brain and heart. If the body does not get enough of the essential proteins and fatty acids it needs, this can affect cognitive memory and increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. The combination of omega oils does keep the heart and brain healthy and functioning as they should (amongst other health benefits), without them or not consuming enough omega can be detrimental to your health. That's why ensuring you know how much omega you should consume each day is essential for your health and well-being! Your daily diet might already contain a balanced and healthy amount of omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 therefore supplementing more omega on top might be unnecessary. However, it can be harder to ensure you have enough omega than you realise. Eating foods rich in omega might, in some cases, still not be enough especially if your diet is not varied or contains a high number of saturated fats. Therefore, supplementing (additional) omega might be essential to ensure you do not have a deficiency, but how much is enough? Let's explore this further…

Why is it important to consume a balanced amount of omega oils?

Too much or too little of omega-3 and omega-6, especially, can be detrimental to your health. It may not seem very important to some individuals, but please hear us when we say that the body needs the fatty acids that omega-3 and omega-6 can provide! Your body cannot make these fatty acids or proteins on its own without consuming omega-3 or omega-6; that's why consuming omega as part of a balanced diet is so important. However, as we said too much or too little can also be an issue for your health; potentially causing adverse side effects. That's why maintaining a healthy balance of omega oil is essential; eating omega-rich foods might be giving your body enough omega fatty acids on its own but in some cases, there may be people who also need additional omega-3 supplements. Whereas, those who do not eat a varied diet (rich in food with natural omega oils like oily fish, nuts or seeds) might need to supplement more omega-3 and omega-6 to make up for the lack coming from the food they consume! So, how much omega-3 and omega-6 exactly do you need to be consuming each day? That will depend on how you are consuming your omega; through food or supplements. 

How much mg of omega-3 and omega-6 do I need daily?

Omega-3 and omega-6 foods:

It is advised for most adults to consume around 8 ounces, or two portions, of oily fish per week to ensure that they are getting the recommended amount of EPA and DHA fatty acids. Types of oily fish include mackerel, herring, sardines, trout and of course salmon. Many people believe that salmon is the ‘ultimate’ source of omega-3. Therefore, to ensure you are getting enough of those essential unsaturated fatty acids; two portions a week of oily fish are advised. 

In regards to omega-6, this is a much easier oil to consume as it’s highly likely to already be present in your diet in the form of various nuts, seeds and oils from those food sources. Omega-6 is not usually necessary to supplement for that reason although it’s believed that 11-22 grams of the oil per day is a sufficient amount for the body to still consume the essential fatty acids it needs! 

Omega-3 and omega-6 supplements:

If you do not think that your diet is consistent with enough omega-3 or omega-6 solely from the foods you consume (alone) then you might need to consume the oils as capsules and supplements to ensure the body is still consuming the nutrients it needs. In that case, you are likely to need to take an omega-3 supplement which can typically vary in (strength) milligrams; the daily recommendation is 250-500 mg as the minimum per day. Although there are omega-3 supplements out there that have a much higher strength (towards 1,000 mg). In terms of omega-6 again there is no set amount in milligrams as it's highly likely to be present in your diet already; although too much of any oil can be bad for your health. Therefore be mindful of foods you are consuming that are high in omega-6 oils and if you do take omega-6 supplements ensure you stick to the serving suggestions.  

Is 1000mg of omega-3 a day too much?

1000mg of omega-3 might sound like a very high dosage, which it is, although it can be highly beneficial for many people. This amount of fish oil is believed to contain the optimal omega-3 that doctors are likely to advise you to consume daily. Although this dosage might vary depending on a person's diet, blood sugar levels, or even cholesterol, speaking to your doctor first is advised. Not everyone will need to take this much omega-3 per day, from supplements alone, if their diet is already rich in omega-3. 

Do I need to take omega-9 every day?

We have not spoken about omega-9 much in today’s blog post and this is due to omega-9 not being considered an essential omega to consume in the form of supplements. What’s more, similar to omega-6 it’s highly likely to already be present in your daily diet; therefore, consuming additional supplements might not be necessary or advised! One - two tablespoons (equivalent) of omega-9 oils is all you need per day and can easily be consumed as part of a verified diet.