Omega-6 Fatty Acids

Omega-6 fatty acids are essential for human life. They create necessary inflammation, benefit the immune system, and promote blood clotting.

Important Omega-6 fatty acids include [Sears2019, pp 236-245]:

• Linoleic Acid (18 carbons, 2 double bonds)
• Gamma Linoleic Acid (GLA) (18 carbons, 3 double bonds)
• Dihomo Gamma Linoleic Acid (DGLA) (20 carbons, 3 double bonds)
• Arachidonic Acid (AA) (20 carbons, 4 double bonds)

Omega-6 fatty acids compete with Omega-3 fatty acids, and generally have opposite effects. For example, Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation, and Omega-6 fatty acids increase inflammation.

For optimum health, the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids should be close to 1:1 to 3:1. Unfortunately, the modern Standard American Diet (SAD) has a ratio of up to 20:1. Diets such as the Zone diet [Sears2019] and the Paleo diet [thepaleodiet] support these ratios.

Genetically, some people are predisposed to have more inflammation caused by Omega-6 fatty acids, and so these people shoud aim for lower Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratios.

The ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 in various food sources is more important than the absolute amount of either. The following are relatively good food sources of Omega-6 fatty acids (limit these in your diet):

• Sunflower oil (71%) [Healthline]
• Corn oil (57%) [Healthline]
• Soybean oil (54%) [Healthline]
• Cottonseed oil (54%) [Healthline]
• Peanut oil (33%) [Healthline]
• Borage oil, Evening primrose oil, Black currant oil [Sears1995, pg 126]
• Red meat (from animals fed corn or soy)

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  Fats
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  PUFA

•       [Sears2019]   Bary Sears. The Resolution Zone. (2019). Amazon
•       [Sears1995]   Bary Sears. Enter The Zone: A Dietary Road map. (1995). Amazon
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  [thepaleodiet]
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  [Healthline]