Food Analysis Tables

We have updated our 14-page table that analyzes the nutritional differences in ~400 foods.

The column headings for Part One and Part Two

This table does not include all the nutrient differences which include the many vitamins, potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium, creatine, carnosine, L-carnitine, docosahexaenoic acid, taurine, thiamine, lycopene, folate, manganese, calcium, carotenoids, iodine, selenium, copper, flavonoids, resveratrol, sodium, chloride, and coenzyme Q10. Incredibly, these nutrients differ from one food to another in amazing quantities.

Interestingly, the meats, including seafood, offer the greatest diversity. In the table the columns for “Nutrient Load” and “Nutrient Scale” provide the best relative summary for each food’s nutrient diversity and density.

The table places an emphasis on the Omega-6 to Omega-3 essential fatty acid (EFA) ratio. It has been estimated that when man lived off the land his ratio was probably less than 2:1. About 95 years ago (1929–1930) Burr and Burr were the first to discover the importance of linoleic acid (LA) 18:2ω-6 and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) 18:3ω-3 in restoring the effects caused by the fat-free diet in deprived animals. They coined the term “essential fatty acids” (EFAs).

Today we know that LA and ALA are essential for normal growth and development of human beings. The two families of Omega-6 (LA) and Omega-3 (ALA) EFAs are physiologically and metabolically distinct, cannot be synthesized in the human body and must be obtained from the diet.

It has been estimated that the present Western diet is extremely “deficient” in Omega-3 fatty acids with its overall ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 being 15:1. Contrast that with the 1:1 ratio that most wild animals and human beings had before modern foods became ubiquitous. Studies have shown that the incidences of many chronic deceases start showing up when the ratio exceeds 4:1. That illustrates how extremely deficient Omega-3 is with a 15:1 ratio.

Amazingly, many studies on Omega-3 show little impact on health when taking Omega-3 supplements. Instead of measuring the ratio, the “scientists” assign an Omega-3 daily supplement (maybe 1,000mg) to one group and compare them to subjects that do not take the supplement. The daily diets of both groups are SAD (Standard American Diet). Therefore, like nearly all Americans, the participants in the study start with ratios of ~15:1 with some being worse! Without lowering their consumption of Omega-6s, the Omega-3 test group may only lower their ratio to maybe 10:1 which is not low enough to change their health since the optimal ratio is well below 4:1. So the conclusions on studies like that example are that Omega-3 supplementation does not improve health.

To lower one’s ratio, a person needs to focus on foods that have EFA ratios of 3:1 or less as much as they can and nix the sixes. If they do that, in about six months, their ratios can drop down to healthy levels.

The complete 12-page table is available in PDF format for downloading and printing:

Download Food Analysis PDF Part One
Download Food Analysis PDF Part Two

Visit Efaeducation.org

Resource by William E.M. Lands, PhD.

William E.M. Lands, PhD, is an American nutritional biochemist born on July 22, 1930, known for his expertise in essential fatty acids. He has authored over 300 papers and is recognized for his work on the metabolism of Omega-3 and Omega-6 EFAs.