Beautiful skin thanks to omega-3: is it also vegan?

The cold season is approaching. And with it often dry skin. If even creams do not bring any improvement, a new strategy must be found. You can also take care of your skin from the inside. Omega-3 fatty acids play a major role here. But with a vegan diet, you have to combine them wisely to get enough of them.

The optimal lipid supply begins with eating

Can you eat healthy skin like a bear eats winter fat? Admittedly, it's not quite that simple. How different foods affect the condition of the skin is very complex. That's why we're concentrating on one aspect here, namely the fatty acids. We have often highlighted the importance of lipids in external skin care. They form part of the protective barrier, transport fat-soluble vitamins and prevent the skin from drying out.

But the fats you eat also play a role. With a conscious diet, you can improve skin moisture and regeneration, among other things. The magic word here is omega-3 fatty acids. So let's look at:

• What they contain of value.

• How these ingredients affect the skin.

• How to get enough of it on a vegan diet.

☝️ More about lipids: You can get an overview of which cosmetic vegetable oil serves which skin need under Which Oil is good for dry skin? And which oil for impure skin? In the section "Our ingredients" we also detail the oils in our recipes before.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids. What does that mean specifically? Whole books can be written about fats in the diet. So we have to simplify a lot here.

• Saturated fatty acids serve the body only as an energy supplier. And they have a reputation for raising cholesterol levels. Not so good.

• Monounsaturated fatty acids also provide energy, but leave cholesterol alone. Much better.

• Polyunsaturated fatty acids your body needs as building material for cells and for the immune system. They are essential. That means they are vital, but the body cannot produce them itself. Here nutrition is the be-all and end-all O!

The polyunsaturated fatty acids in turn are divided into omega-3 and omega-6. (Omega-9 also exists, but we can ignore it here.) They differ in their structure. That doesn't sound wild, but it has enormous implications for their function.

Omegas regulate inflammatory processes 🔥

Due to the small but subtle difference in structure, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids have completely different jobs. Omega-3 has an anti-inflammatory effect, while omega-6 promotes inflammation^1,2. Both are necessary, albeit in the right proportions. If omega-6 sparks fires everywhere and no one puts them out, you won't be doing so well in the long run. This also applies to the skin.

Inflammation plays a role in many unpleasant skin conditions. These include neurodermatitis, psoriasis and acne.Redness and an irritated feeling on the skin then gnaw at your well-being. However, you can counteract this with a conscious diet.

Omega-3 fatty acids and their effect on the skin

Omega-3 fatty acids keep your skin young, protect it and help to repair it. This is due to their components alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. What are those tongue twisters capable of?

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

DHA is a structural component of the skin and is found in cell membranes. They regulate what is allowed in and what is disposed of. An adequate supply is therefore necessary in order to regulate the moisture balance. DHA also promotes regeneration. This prevents dryness, feelings of tightness and wrinkles.

eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)

The eicosanoids prevent premature skin aging and your skin benefits in several ways.

• They control oil production and ensure that the skin retains moisture better.
• They prevent hyper-keratinization of the hair follicles, i.e. the skin becomes horny and the pores clog. This manifests itself as pimples or small, red bumps that often appear on the upper arms.
• They control inflammatory processes. Whether that works out in your skin's favor depends on the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, as we've seen.

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)

This fatty acid is initially simply an energy supplier. But the body can do more with ALA. It uses enzymes to convert them into EPA and DHA. This is important because both are only found in animal-based omega-3 suppliers. And in algae, but when are we going to eat them? As a vegan, you prevent a deficiency in these two rare fatty acids by consuming enough ALA.

It's all in the mix

Omega-3 fatty acids are in short supply in the western diet. Unhealthy fats predominate in many dishes, baked goods and so on. And they also lose out when it comes to polyunsaturated fats. On average, we consume ten times as much omega-6 as omega-3 here.

Now it's the same enzymes that process omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. That makes them competitors. In order for omega-3 acids to be converted as effectively as possible, they must not have too much competition. Studies show that the conversion rate is up to 50% lower when we consume too much omega-6. An omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 4:1 to 6:1^{3 is considered favorable ,4}.

There is a special feature for vegans

💡 Small mnemonic, which of the omegas you have to push especially: All good things come in 3. Although you take in less omega-3 overall, it is but also much harder to get than omega-6.

The best vegan omega-3 suppliers

So how do you get enough good fat without sitting at the table with a calculator? Integrate sufficient omega-3 in your meals. It's almost impossible to consume too much of it.

The top 3

• Linseed oil: With around 57% omega-3 and only 16% omega-6, it's a lonely class!

• Walnut oil: about 17% omega-3

• Hemp oil: about 13% omega-3

These oils are ideal for salads or for refining dishes. Linseed oil is a bit a matter of taste, but it can be combined well. A dash of walnut or hemp oil gives the whole thing a wonderfully nutty aroma. There are also vegan linseed oils with added DHA from the alga schizochytrium sp. My favorite at the moment is the very mild Flaxseed Oil with DHA from Bruno Zimmer. But be careful: please only use in the cold kitchen. Rapeseed oil is ideal for frying. It is heat resistant and still contains 9% omega-3.