While more attention is given to the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are important to health. The American Heart Association recommends that omega-6 fatty acids account for 5 to 10 percent of daily caloric intake. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, a healthy diet includes approximately four times as much omega-6 fatty acids as omega-3 fatty acids. Fortunately, food sources of omega-6 fatty acids are plentiful.
Vegetable Oils
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, vegetable oils containing linoleic acid are the most common dietary source of omega-6 fatty acids. These oils, which include corn, soybean, and sunflower oils, are often used in cooking and added to processed foods. Because of this, most Americans obtain 10 times the necessary amount of omega-6 fatty acids through diet.
For those who do not eat processed foods or use vegetable oil when cooking, deficiency is possible. Borage oil, evening primrose oil, and black currant oil are rich in omega-6s and provide high concentrations of gamma-linolenic acid, one of the most beneficial omega-6 fatty acids.
Meat and Dairy
Increasing your intake of pork, red meat, and dairy products will help raise your levels of omega-6 fatty acids, according to Northwestern Health Sciences University. One type of omega-6 fat, arachidonic acid, is plentiful in egg yolk and organ meats, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Grains and Cereals
Grains are naturally high in omega-6 fatty acids. Most animal sources of the omega-6s, such as chickens and cattle, obtain fatty acids from eating these grains, and then pass them on to humans. Eating grains and cereals directly offers an even better source of omega-6 fatty acids. Flax is one of the best food sources of both omega-6s and omega-3s, making it an ideal addition to the diet for anyone who wants to achieve the recommended balance of these two fatty acids.
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