Anti-inflammatory Smoothie
For those OG followers, you would know I am a massive believer in boosting your omega 3: omega 6 ratio to reduce inflammation in the body.
Before I get into the best food sources of omega 3 and omega 6 (and my fav smoothie recipe!), let’s first discuss the difference between omega 3 and omega 6, and why we need to consume BOTH in our diet.
Omega 3 and Omega 6 are types of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that cannot be synthesised by the body and therefore must be obtained through diet. It is this reason that both omega 3 and omega 6 are also referred to as “Essential Fatty Acids” (EFAs).
Omega 6 - What is it?
Omega 6 is still an ESSENTIAL fatty acid that we require in our diet so it is definitely NOT something to fear. In fact, adequate intake of good sources of omega 6 (listed below) has been linked to lowering cholesterol and improving blood sugar.
The average Western diet has an omega 6: omega 3 ratio of 15:1 to 17:1, however, it is believed humans evolved eating a diet with a ratio of 1:1 (4) . More research suggests that a diet with a significantly higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 has a pro-inflammatory effect on the body, whereas a diet that has an optimum level of omega 3 is said to have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.
It all boils down to ratio and what types of omega 6 foods you are consuming. Many processed and refined foods contain high amounts of omega 6. See below for ways to reduce your omega 6 ratio (note* you also need to be boosting your omega three at the same time).
- Substitute Sunflower oil for olive oil or macadamia oil
- When purchasing nut butters, look for ones that contain no added vegetable oils
- Reduce your intake of highly processed foods
- Choose grass-fed meats over grain fed
- Other good sources of omega 6: sunflower seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and nuts
Research suggests that regular consumption of omega 3 may protect against heart disease, blood clots and some cancers due to its anti-inflammatory properties. In more recent times, studies suggest omega 3’s anti-inflammatory effect may also play a role in reducing inflammation associated with inflammatory skin conditions such as acne and psoriasis. There is also some research to suggest it may play a role in the management of depression, however, more conclusive evidence is needed in this area (1)
Omega 3 Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) from fish
The Heart Foundation and Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend all Australians aim to consume 2–3 servings of fish per week which provides approximately 250–500 milligrams of marine-sourced omega-3s (both EPA and DHA) per day (7).
For more information on the best fish sources, read this blog post HERE
Now... for my favourite "anti-inflammatory" smoothie... see ingredients below!
Serves: 2 or 1 + 2 little ones
Ingredients
1/2 cup frozen blueberries (opt for organic where possible, I wait until they're on sale!)
1 frozen very ripe banana
1 cup almond milk (or coconut water/plantbased milk of choice)
2 tsp chia seeds
1/2 avocado
2 tsp collagen peptides (optional)
5-6 macadamias
3 tbsp coconut yoghurt
1 tsp @nordicnaturals Arctic Cod Liver oil
optional add ons - 1-2 tsp of cacao & a date if you're trying to get it into little ones!
Method
Blend all ingredients until combined and enjoy!