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You need both omega-3 and omega-6. Enough omega-3 – especially EPA and DHA from fish or algae oil – matters more than an exact ratio. Olive oil as your base.
Short answer: omega-3 and omega-6 are both essential, so you need both. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) gives estimated values of 2.5 % of energy from linoleic acid (omega-6) and 0.5 % from alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) – mathematically about 5:1. Whether the ratio is a useful target is disputed; what matters more is getting enough omega-3, especially EPA and DHA from oily fish or algae oil. Day to day, a simple mix works: olive oil as your base, linseed oil and walnuts cold, fish once or twice a week.
They're usually solid at room temperature (butter, ghee, coconut oil). A high intake is linked with higher LDL cholesterol.
Saturated fats are chemically more stable than polyunsaturated ones, which is why some of them suit higher temperatures – but that says nothing about how much of them makes sense.
Industrial trans fats are formed mainly when plant oils are partially hydrogenated, and they can be found in some baked goods, fried snacks and ready meals. They're linked with higher LDL and lower HDL cholesterol, bring no benefit and are best avoided as far as possible. A typical clue on the ingredients list: "partially hydrogenated" fats. If you cook more from scratch, you usually eat fewer of them automatically.
They're usually liquid at room temperature and form the basis of a balanced choice of fats.
The best-known example is extra virgin olive oil. Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats in the diet contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels. Olive oil is fairly heat-stable, provides polyphenols and is a central part of the Mediterranean diet. More in Best olive oil 2026 – what to really look for and How to spot really good olive oil.
These include omega-3 and omega-6. Linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) are essential: the body can't make them itself. They're sensitive to light, heat and oxygen – so linseed oil belongs drizzled over the finished plate, not in a hot pan.
| Fatty acid | Group | Typical sources |
|---|---|---|
| ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) | Omega-3 | Linseed oil, linseed, chia seeds, walnuts |
| EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) | Omega-3 | Oily sea fish, algae oil |
| DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) | Omega-3 | Oily sea fish, algae oil |
| LA (linoleic acid) | Omega-6 | Many plant oils, nuts, seeds |
| AA (arachidonic acid) | Omega-6 | Mainly animal foods |
The body converts only a limited amount of ALA into EPA, and very little into DHA. That's why oily fish or algae oil play a special role. Overview: omega-3.
You often read that the ratio has "got out of hand" and needs to hit a certain value. The evidence is less clear-cut than it sounds.
For adults, the DGE gives estimated values of 2.5 % of dietary energy from linoleic acid and 0.5 % from alpha-linolenic acid. Mathematically, that gives an omega-6:omega-3 ratio of about 5:1.
An expert workshop held by the UK Food Standards Agency concluded that the ratio isn't a useful concept: it distracts from increasing the total intake of EPA and DHA. You can "improve" a ratio with more omega-3 or with less omega-6 – only the first route is clearly linked with a benefit.
The idea that linoleic acid "inflames" the body isn't backed up either: a systematic review of randomised trials in healthy adults found virtually no evidence that more linoleic acid raises markers of inflammation such as CRP.
So the practical point is to plan in enough omega-3, especially EPA and DHA. There is an authorised claim: EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart – according to the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) with a daily intake of 250 mg of EPA and DHA, which is also its reference value for adults.
Many people eat little fish and few foods with omega-3. At the same time, a lot of fat comes from ready meals, sauces, crisps, factory-made baked goods and fried food eaten out – where you don't choose the fat yourself. If you cook more yourself, you can build in sources of omega-3 on purpose.
You'll find ideas with fish in the pescatarian recipes.
| Use | Good choice | Less suitable |
|---|---|---|
| Salads, dips, cold dishes | Linseed oil, walnut oil, hemp oil, olive oil | – |
| Gentle frying | Extra virgin olive oil, ghee | Linseed oil, walnut oil, hemp oil |
| Higher heat | Ghee, olive oil depending on the job | Linseed oil, hemp oil, other delicate oils |
For many households, olive oil is the most practical everyday base. Ideas: Mediterranean recipes and Blue Zones-style recipes.
Oils made from sunflower, corn or soya consist largely of linoleic acid and provide hardly any omega-3. They're not toxic, and linoleic acid isn't a proven driver of inflammation – but as a standard oil they offer no advantage for your omega-3 intake.
In our recipes we use olive oil as the base, and linseed oil or walnut oil for cold dishes. We don't use rapeseed oil, even though it also provides ALA and is recommended by the DGE. That's a choice our kitchen makes, not a statement that rapeseed oil is unhealthy.
Besides the smoke point, what counts is the share of polyunsaturated fatty acids, freshness, virgin or refined quality, and how long and how hot you heat it. A good oil doesn't help much if you overheat it in a damaged pan – more in Pots and pans: the truth about Teflon, cast iron & stainless steel.
Store linseed oil dark and cool, ideally in the fridge, and use it up quickly after opening. Buy small bottles, don't leave nut oils open for months, and keep olive oil away from light and heat. Rancid oil has lost quality.
Ideas: recipes with omega-3 & veg, vegan recipes, meal prep recipes.
No fat source needs to be glorified: olive oil as standard, linseed oil or linseed cold, walnuts and avocado as whole foods, ghee or a little coconut oil for certain kinds of frying, oily fish or algae oil for EPA and DHA.
Both are essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. Omega-6 (mainly linoleic acid) is found in many plant oils, nuts and seeds and is usually plentiful. Omega-3 comes as ALA in linseed oil and walnuts, and as EPA and DHA in oily sea fish and algae oil – often in short supply.
The DGE estimated values work out at about 5:1. A fixed ideal value isn't established; what matters more is getting enough omega-3, especially EPA and DHA.
For normal frying, extra virgin olive oil; for higher heat, ghee or occasionally coconut oil. Use linseed, walnut and hemp oil only cold.
Not across the board, but the amount matters: a lot of them raises LDL cholesterol. Butter, ghee or coconut oil in moderation are fine; as your main fat, olive oil is the better choice.
For ALA, yes. But conversion into EPA is limited, and into DHA very low. If you don't eat fish, algae oil can provide EPA and DHA directly.
Fat isn't the problem – fat quality is more the point. The simplest formula: olive oil as your base, linseed oil and seeds cold, fish or algae oil for EPA and DHA, ready-made products as rarely as possible. You don't need to calculate your way to an exact omega ratio.
This article doesn't replace advice from a doctor or a registered dietitian.