Omega-6 fatty acid

Omega-6 fatty acids are a family of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Some medical research notes that high levels of omega-6 fatty acids from seed oils may increase the chance for a number of diseases. However, having non-rancid nuts, which are high in omega-6, is associated with lower risk for some diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, stroke, heart attacks and certain cancers.

Modern Western diets often have ratios of omega-6 to omega 3 higher than 10. Some are as high as 30. The normal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in the Western diet is 15–16.7, mainly from vegetable oils.

 Dietary sources 
Vegetable oils are a major source of omega-6 linoleic acid. Worldwide, more than 100 million metric tons of vegetable oils are extracted annually from palm fruits, soybean seeds, rape seeds, and sunflower seeds, providing more than 32 million metric tons of omega-6 linoleic acid and 4 million metric tons of omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid., Table 03: Major Vegetable Oils: World Supply and Distribution at Oilseeds: World Markets and Trade Monthly Circular 

Dietary sources of omega-6 fatty acids include:
 poultry
 eggs
 nuts
 hulled sesame seeds
 cereals
 durum wheat
 whole-grain breads
 pumpkin seeds
 most vegetable oils including
 grape seed oil
 evening primrose oil
 borage oil
 blackcurrant seed oil
 flax or linseed oil
 rapeseed or canola oil
 hemp oil
 soybean oil
 cottonseed oil
 sunflower seed oil
 corn oil
 safflower oil
 palm oil

References

Category:Lipids

Category:Food supplements