Guide to Fats 4: Essential Fatty Acids: Omega-6

About omega-6 fatty acids Omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated. They are made and stored in the seeds and nuts of hot-climate plants (e.g. sunflower and sesame). The main forms of omega-6 in our diet are linoleic acid (LA), gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and arachidonic acid (AA). LA and conversion LA is found in seeds, nuts, beans and grains. LA is an 'essential fatty acid' because our bodies can't synthesise it; we must eat it. LA is the 'parent molecule' for GLA and AA: the longer-chain forms of omega-6 our bodies can use. We convert LA to GLA and AA using the same enzymes the omega-3 family uses. Omega-6 fatty acids are more abundant in the western diet, so they tend to win the conversion race against omega-3 (see Omega-3 blog). GLA and AA GLA forms type 1 prostaglandins. These are anti-inflammatory and confer many health benefits (see below). GLA also comes pre-formed in evening primrose, borage and blackcurrent seed oils, and spirulina. AA forms type 2 prostaglandins. These are pro-inflammatory and necessary in small quantities but dangerous in excess. AA also comes pre-formed in red meat, duck, eggs and dairy products. Inflammation and the omega-3:6 ratio If our diet is rich in LA from vegetable oils but poor in omega-3, we can convert too much LA to AA. If we eat too many animal foods, we ingest pre-converted AA too. Too much AA, without anti-inflammatory omega-3 and GLA for balance, can create constant low-grade inflammation, which contributes to heart disease, cancer, arthritis and other ills. Furthermore, many processed foods contain damaged omega-6, e.g. refined corn oil, partially hydrogenated sunflower margarine, deep-fried foods, commercial goodies, etc. We need to restore our evolutionary ratio of omega-3:6 (roughly 1:2) by eating more omega-3-rich foods and smaller amounts of high-quality, undamaged omega-6-rich foods, so that each type of fatty acid can function correctly. Benefits and deficiencies The bad rap omega-6 receives for being pro-inflammatory is not fully deserved. Natural, undamaged omega-6-rich foods are beneficial when balanced with omega-3-rich foods. Omega-6 fatty acids form the building blocks of pro-inflammatory hormones that are needed to respond to injury or toxicity, stop bleeding, isolate toxins and remove injured tissue. In that sense, pro-inflammatory hormones power the immune system. Omega-6 and omega-3 work in concert to modulate the body's inflammatory responses. Along with omega-3, omega-6 plays a crucial role in good brain function, normal growth and development, skin and hair growth, bone health, metabolism and reproductive health. Anti-inflammatory GLA may be helpful in dealing with diabetic neuropathy, rheumatoid arthritis, allergies, ADHD, breast cancer, eczema, hypertension, PMS, menopausal symptoms, mastalgia, MS and osteoporosis. Omega-6 deficiency is rare but symptoms include heart and circulation problems, eczema-like skin eruptions, behavioural disturbances, slow wound healing, sterility in males, miscarriage in females and arthritis-like conditions. Food sources The good LA: hemp, chia, sunflower, sesame and pumpkin seeds and their oils; grapeseed oil; walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, pistachios, cashews, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds and their oils; flax seeds and flax oil (omega-3 dominates); olives and olive oil (omega-9 dominates); chestnut oil GLA: evening primrose oil, borage oil, blackcurrant seed oil, spirulina AA: meat, poultry and eggs from animals fed their own natural diet (e.g. grass-fed beef, etc.) NB Hemp and chia seeds provide an excellent omega-3:6 ratio. Chia seeds are rich in antioxidants. Walnuts contain abundant omega-3s and omega-6s. Udo's Oil offers a good omega 3-6-9 balance. The ugly LA: corn, safflower, sunflower, soya and cottonseed oils that have been refined, heated, bleached, deodorised or (partially) hydrogenated. If labels do not say cold-pressed or unrefined, avoid. Processed oils are harmful, even if technically rich in LA. AA: battery-raised poultry, grain-fed ruminants, grain- or soya-fed fish, commercial eggs and dairy products. Any food from an animal fed an unnatural diet should be avoided; it will harbour bad fatty acids, displacing the good ones we need. All omega-6-rich foods should be ultra-fresh, oils unrefined and cold-pressed. Stability and cooking Omega-6s easily turn rancid in heat, light and air, so those crisps that purport to be healthy because they were fried in sunflower oil are anything but. Refrigerate all omega-6 sources and obey the 'use-by' date. Bin rancid foods and oils. Contrary to common practice, never cook with omega-6 oils. Use them on salads or – best of all – eat the whole foods instead (e.g. sunflower seeds, sunflower greens, hazelnuts, etc.). Antioxidants (from fruits, veggies, tea, dark chocolate and chia seed) help prevent free radical damage, which can occur when unsaturated fats get toasty warm inside. Go to… Guide to Fats 5: Essential Fatty Acids: Omega-9

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *