Why Eskimos don’t get heart disease and why you should consider tucking into a narwhal

In 1978, Dyerberg and Bang performed a study which found out some startling information about Eskimos. They found that although these people had a diet which was very high in animal fat, narwhal skin being a particular delicacy, they had a very low incidence of heart disease. In the 1970’s where fat was the enemy and carbohydrates were king, this was a very significant find. The studies that followed all came to the same conclusion, that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) prevented heart disease. These, along with alpha linoleic acid (ALA) were later named as omega 3 fatty acids.

Unlike Eskimos, we in the UK we have an unjustified fear of animal fat, and as a result of that we tend to make choices which mean we avoid it all costs. We have used technology to replace animal fats with vegetable fats. We use margarine instead of butter and vegetable oil instead of lard.

As humans we need to have an even level of omega 6 and omega 3. Omega 6 is pro-inflammatory and omega 3 is anti-inflammatory. If these are in equal quantities they balance themselves out rather well, however in a western diet we get roughly 15 times as much omega 6 as omega 3. One example of the reason why is sunflower oil, it has 160 times as much omega 6 as omega 3.

Eskimos eat a diet which is almost completely composed of protein and fat derived from wild animals. Like humans, animals require a balanced fat intake. Narwhals eat lots of fish, which eat algae and plankton; they’re brimming with omega 3. So if you were to eat them you would end up in a similarly healthy balance, you are what you eat.



However, in the real world, if we copied them and avoided grains and ate a large amount of protein and fat then we would not end up the same way. This is because we don’t eat narwhals; we eat cows, pigs and chickens, which are fed on grains rather than being fed naturally.

So what can you do to boost your omega 3 intake? Eat wild fish, grass fed beef, organic chicken and outdoor bred pork. These will have a significantly higher ratio of omega 3 fats. Don’t use sunflower oil, use coconut oil. But by far the best thing to do in this case is to take fish oil supplements, they are cheap and the benefits are enourmous.

A corrected omega 3 deficiency will make every process in your body more effective, as omega 3 fatty acids affect the way in which our cells communicate with each other. 

Reported benefits include improved mood, better skin, reduced hunger cravings, fat loss, muscle gain and clearer thinking. 


As a result of this all of our clients take some sort of omega 3 supplement. 

The last consideration is to ensure you buy a high quality fish oil capsule. Lower quality cheaper capsules will not offer the same benefit as they are often filled with more omega 6 fats. Each capsule should contain at least 50% omega 3's and these should be at least 80% EPA and DHA. Fish oils which only contain ALA are very poorly absorbed but are still the best choice for vegetarians. 

Given all of this free information, and especially are improving your diet, it really is a no brainer.

1. Harris, W. (2004). Fish oil supplementation:Evidence for health benefits.Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. (71) p208-210

2. Dyerberg, J, Bang, H. (1978). Eicosapentaenoic Acid and prevention of thrombosis and atherosclerosis. Lancet. (2) p117-119


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