Fatty acids are an important source of fuel and energy for your body, especially in tissues such as your heart and skeletal muscle. Your body cannot naturally produce fatty acids, so you will need to get your fatty acids from either food sources or health supplements. Omega-6 is a type of fatty acid that the American Heart Association associates with a lower risk of heart disease.
Essential Fatty Acids
You must obtain all of your essential fatty acids from your diet because you body cannot produce them. There are three types of fats, saturated fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. The polyunsaturated fats are essential and include the omega-3 and omega-6 families. Examples of omega-6 fats include linoleic acid, gamma-linolenic acid and arachidonic acid.
Omega and Saturation
Saturation refers to the number of hydrogen atoms attached to the carbon atoms of the fatty chain. Carbons from saturated fat completely attach to the hydrogen molecules. Therefore, saturated fats do not have double bonds. A monosaturated fat, on the other hand, has one double bond and a polyunsaturated fat has multiple double bonds. Saturated fats are the most stable at room temperature and very harmful to your blood vessels. Omega refers to the location of the first double bond. In omega-6 fatty acids, the double bond occurs after the sixth carbon.
Sources and Daily Recommendations.
Good sources of omega-6 include nuts, seeds and vegetable oils such as soybean, safflower, sunflower and corn oil. You will not find omega-6 in animal sources such as fish. The American Heart Association recommends that five to 10 percent of your daily calories come from omega-6 fatty acids. This recommendation equates to approximately 12 to 22 g a day. The American Heart Association also associates a lower risk of heart disease with the replacement of saturated and trans fats with omega-6.
Omega-6 and Health
Your body needs omega-6 to produce arachidonic acid, a substance found in cell membranes that your body uses in inflammatory processes. According to "Integrative Medicine," your body must carefully regulate inflammation processes. In high amounts, omega-6 can make some of your organs such as your lungs, skin, breast, prostate and bone more susceptible to carcinogens, toxins, allergens and UV light. You, therefore need to maintain a balance between omega-6 and 3 in your body so that you can get the optimal benefits of both omegas. According to "Integrative Medicine," the ideal ratio is 4:1.
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