Essential Fats Omega3 and Omega-6
Omega-3 and omega-6 are the only essential fats. “Essential” means that, like vitamins, the body cannot make them for itself. We must obtain them from our food. These are the only two essential fatty acids the body needs to build and maintain every cell.
Omega-3
Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid, ALA) is the anti-inflammatory fat in our diet. It also supports healing and is essential for building healthy tissue.
Omega-3 enters the natural food chain through green plants and grasses. Grass-fed animals then concentrate it in their tissues. The richest sources are the brain, eyes, bone marrow, testes and other organs that people rarely eat nowadays.
Modern factory-farmed animals eat mainly maize, sunflower and cereal-based feeds instead of grass. These feeds contain almost no omega-3 but high levels of omega-6. This system is favoured by the food industry because it is cheap and helps animals gain weight quickly
On the Budwig Diet, the main source of omega-3 is linseed (flaxseed) oil, which contains about 50–60% omega-3, together with freshly ground linseed, which contains about 25% omega-3.
Many studies have tried to show that fish oil is a superior source of omega-3. However, Dr. Johanna Budwig believed this was not the case. Dr. George Jelinek, creator of the Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis Recovery Plan, also recommends generous amounts of linseed (flaxseed) oil in his programme. He has said that he cannot find convincing evidence that fish oil is superior. The OMS followers who use flaxseed oil report 63% better health outcomes than those who use fish oil. This may be because plant-based ALA is better at helping balance the excess linoleic acid from cooking oils that is common in modern diets.
Omega-6
Omega-6 (linoleic acid, LA) is the inflammatory fat in the diet. Most people in the Western world consume far too much of it. It is found in virtually every fat, oil, meat, cereal and processed food we eat. Sunflower, corn (maize) and safflower oils are the richest sources, but olive oil also contains significant amounts.
The Budwig Diet avoids these omega-6-rich oils because it considers the omega-6 from flaxseed, vegetables and nuts sufficient to support health.
Omega-9
Omega-9 (oleic acid) is not an essential fat because the body can make it from other fats and carbohydrates whenever it needs it. Olive oil is its richest source, although rapeseed oil, grapeseed oil, other vegetable oils and meat also contain significant amounts.
Dr. Budwig believed that too much omega-9 could interfere with the body’s ability to use the essential fats, particularly omega-3.
Olive oil and other omega-9-rich oils also contain omega-6 and they are not included on the Budwig Diet. Like any fat, omega-9 can also contribute to weight gain if eaten in excess.