Omega-6 fatty acids are a form of essential dietary fat that your body needs each day. Some forms of omega-6 fatty acids seem to promote inflammation in your body if you do not balance them with other dietary fatty acids. For this reason, you need to eat foods that contain forms of fatty acids that decrease inflammation and to be sure to balance your omega-6 fatty acid intake with other omega fatty acids.
What Are Omega-6 Fatty Acids?
Omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids that your body needs because it is not able to make them on its own. Omega-6 fatty acids help stimulate skin and hair growth, maintain bone health, regulate metabolism and maintain the reproductive system according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Many omega-6 fatty acids are found in meats and vegetable oils in the typical American diet. Omega-6 fatty acids are healthy, but you must balance them with another form of omega fatty acid, called omega-3 fatty acids. This is important because some omega-6 fatty acids promote inflammation, while omega-3 fatty acids tend to decrease inflammation.
Inflammation and Food Choices
Omega-6 fatty acids are thought to cause the lining of your arteries to swell. If this inflammation is sustained in your body it can lead to health problems such as heart disease. Inflammation is also associated with chronic pain. The inflammation that is promoted by some omega-6 fatty acids in your diet is the result of eating too many foods that contain high amounts of omega-6 fatty acids. Some sources that are high in omega-6 fatty acids include meats and foods that contain safflower, corn, cottonseed and soybean oils.
Balance
The typical American diet tends to contain 14 to 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. A more balanced diet in terms of omega fatty acids is the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet does not include much meat and instead emphasizes foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These foods include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oil, garlic and moderate wine consumption.
Considerations
It is important to remember that not all omega-6 fatty acids cause inflammation. Some actually reduce inflammation. You should also remember that omega-6 fatty acids are healthy and essential to your diet. The problem in the American diet today is not that it contains omega-6 fatty acids but that it contains too much. If you add fish, nuts and seeds to your meal plan each week, you will incorporate omega-3 forms, which will help you balance your omega fatty acids and decrease the inflammation in your body.
Member Comments