Omega 6 Fatty Acids - Benefits, Foods, & More

You might not already know but your body can't produce linolenic acid which is an important fatty acid that includes omega-6 fatty acids. Hence, you need to include omega-6 sources in your daily diet. For the uninitiated, fatty acids help your body function well in different ways. There are many benefits of omega-6 ranging from improving skin and hair health to regulating metabolism among other things. Hence, it is essential for you to know about the omega-6 sources so that you can incorporate them in order to consume a balanced diet each day.

Health Benefits of Omega-6 Fatty Acids:

1. Maintains Bone Health:

You might already know that your bones can get weaker as you grow old. Losing bone tissue over time can increase the risk of falls and fractures. Consuming omega-6 foods is proven to lower bone mineral density in both men and women. Hence, it is important to follow a balanced diet that includes omega-6 fatty acids.

2. Reduces Risk of Heart Disease:

When you switch from saturated fats to polyunsaturated fats like linoleic acid, it can help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. You can simply make use of nuts and seeds in your daily diet to get some omega-6 fatty acids. In fact, walnuts, specifically make for a great source of omega-6 that can provide you with 11 grams of linoleic acid (1).

3. Aids in Decreasing Nerve Pain:

One of the best omega-6 benefits is that it may help tone down the symptoms of nerve pain in people with diabetic neuropathy (2). For the ones who don't know about it, diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that occurs due to badly controlled diabetes. Using various omega-6 sources to your rescue can significantly decrease the symptoms of this condition.

Intake Recommendations of Omega-6 Fatty Acids:

Food Sources of Omega-6 Fatty Acids:

Here is a list of omega-6 foods that you must incorporate into your daily diet.

1. Tofu:

Tofu is made using coagulating soy milk and pressing the soy curds to form soft blocks. You can try adding tofu to your diet in salads, tofu scramble or swap it for meat in main courses. Each serving of this omega-6 food gives you protein, iron, calcium and manganese (3).

2. Sunflower Seeds:

These are harvested from the sunflower plant's head. They have a nutty flavour and a crunchy texture, which makes them a great addition to granola bars, casseroles and baked goods. Sunflower seeds make for one of the best omega-6 sources as they are loaded with vitamin E and selenium both of which can shield your body against inflammation, cell damage and chronic diseases (4).

3. Peanut Butter:

If there's one omega-6 food that you will definitely love including in your diet it's peanut butter. It's packed with nutrients like manganese, vitamin E, magnesium and niacin. Peanut butter is quite a versatile food item that can be used with fruits, and vegetables, blended into smoothies and even had with your favourite desserts. In fact, if you're looking to buy a new peanut butter bottle, we highly recommend you try the Saffola Fittify Plant Protein - Peanut Butter. It's made from the finest quality peanuts and is powered with the goodness of high protein and fiber. You're going to love the rich and delicious taste of this plant protein peanut butter.

4. Eggs:

Another omega-6 food that is quite popular and versatile in the cooking industry is an egg. They're nutritious, delicious and packed with all things important for your body. You can enjoy them scrambled, boiled or fried - whichever you like them better. You can also add them to burritos, sandwiches, salads and main meals.

5. Almonds:

Almonds make for a great source of protein and fiber along with being loaded with magnesium, manganese and vitamin E (5). You can munch on a handful of them for a little snack on their own or roast some and add them to a food processor to make almond butter out of them.

6. Avocado Oil:

Ever used avocado oil? Well, you must if you haven't yet. It's one of the easiest omega-6 sources to include in your diet as you can use it for baking, roasting, frying and sauteing. As avocado oil has a high smoke point, it has the ability to withstand high temperatures without oxidizing. This oil aims to improve your heart health by reducing cholesterol levels in your body (6).

7. Walnuts:

Walnuts make for an excellent source of fiber and minerals including copper, magnesium, phosphorus and manganese (7). You can munch on some on their own or sprinkle some chopped walnuts over salads, yoghurt or oatmeal to amp up the nutritional value of the whole meal.

Conclusion:

Omega-6 fatty acids are essential for your body's healthy functioning and you understand that by now. And when there are so many natural omega-6 food sources including nuts, seeds, eggs and vegetable oils, it should make your job easier to maintain healthy levels of these fatty acids. The benefits of omega-6 are many ranging from supporting bone health to improving nerve pain. So why not follow a balanced diet that is rich in omega-6 starting today?

FAQs:

• Which is better: Omega 3 or Omega 6?

Both omega-3 and omega-6 fats are essential to provide energy to your body. However, you must consume more omega-3 than omega-6.

• Who should avoid omega-6?

If you're diabetic, high levels of omega-6 can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure. Omega-6 fatty acids can make breathing difficult in people who suffer from a lung disease called Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

• Does omega-6 increase cholesterol?

No. In fact, omega-6 fats can lower the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase the levels of good cholesterol (HDL). These fatty acids do this by improving your body's sensitivity to insulin.

• Does omega-6 reduce weight?

High levels of omega-6 can increase insulin resistance and leptin resistance. It's omega-3 that can help with weight loss and homeostasis.

• Can too much omega-6 cause inflammation?

Consuming omega-6 can reduce markers of inflammation or leave them unchanged but they definitely won't increase inflammation.