What oils are high in omega 6

What are omega-6 fatty acids? Can eating omega-6 fatty acids cause heart disease?

Answer From Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D.

Omega-6 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat found in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds. When eaten in moderation and in place of saturated fats, omega-6 fatty acids can be good for the heart and appear to protect against heart disease.

The body needs fatty acids (essential fatty acids) to work properly. It can make most of them. But the body can't make linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid that includes omega-6 fatty acids. A balanced diet is the body's main source of omega-6 fatty acids.

Fatty acids serve different functions in the body. Some are believed to cause inflammation, but others seem to have anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have failed to show an increased risk of heart disease linked to omega-6 fatty acids. In fact, research findings suggest that omega-6 fatty acids may actually reduce the risk for heart disease or stroke.

Until more is known, you can help keep your heart healthy by limiting saturated fats in your diet and choosing plant-based foods such as flaxseed or canola oil. One way to increase the amount of omega-6s in your diet is to swap butter for olive oil when cooking. Or choose Brazil nuts or walnuts as snacks. They're also rich in omega-6 fatty acids.

With

Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D.

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Dec. 17, 2021

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  2. Saturated fats. American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/saturated-fats. Accessed Nov. 22, 2021.
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  4. Hooper L, et al. Omega-6 fats for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018; doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011094.pub3.
  5. Marklund M, et al. Biomarkers of dietary omega-6 fatty acids and incident cardiovascular disease and mortality. Circulation. 2019; doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.038908.
  6. Mazidi M, et al. Association of types of dietary fats and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: A prospective cohort study and meta-analysis of prospective studies with 1,164,029 participants. Clinical Nutrition. 2020; doi:0.1016/j.clnu.2020.03.028.
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  8. Innes JK, et al. Omega-6 fatty acids and inflammation. Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids. 2018; doi:10.1016/j.plefa.2018.03.004.
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Which oil has most omega

Soybean oil is currently the biggest source of omega-6 fatty acids in the US because it is really cheap and found in all sorts of processed foods. In the graph below, you can see how the amount of omega-6 fatty acids found in body fat stores has increased by more than 200% (3-fold) in the past 50 years alone.

Is olive oil an omega

Olive Oil contains both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are important in preventing cardiovascular disease and are particularly high in oily fish such as salmon and flax seed oil.

What oil has the highest omega

Overall, canola oil has the most balanced fatty acid composition, not only due to a good omega-6:omega-3 ratio, but also because it contains a high percentage of monounsaturated fat which is beneficial to human health.

What is the best source of omega

Foods like nuts, seeds, eggs, and vegetable oils are all excellent sources of omega-6 fatty acids.