Omega-6 Fats – Good, Bad, or Indifferent
November 15, 2007 | 2 Comments
Which oil is the “best”? That’s what everyone wants to know.
Olive oil, Flaxseed oil, Fish oil – which is the best?
In reality none of them are the best. Those oils are high in monounsaturated fat and omega-3 fats; but there are other important fats that you should consume.
One type of oil that people swear are oils high in the short chain omega-6, linoleic acid. Quoting the “inflammatory” properties of omega-6s. In reality this is a weak argument.
I’ve written before about the differences between omega-3 fats – alpha-linolenic (from flax) vs. EPA and DHA (from fish)
Omega-6 fats come in two main “flavors” – short (linoleic acid) and long (arachidonic acid) chain. These fats are very different. Arachidonic acid gets directly converted to pro-inflammatory compounds (Note: This is an over simplification as the compounds can also be anti-inflammatory – confusing huh?).
Linoleic acid doesn’t easily get converted to arachidonic acid. The data supporting the inflammatory effects of linoleic acid are hard to find.
What many people don’t realize is that the research supporting the health benefits of omega-6 polyunsaturated fats is waaaay better then that supporting the health benefits of monounsaturated fats -shocker huh? But that is a topic for another post.
Another thing to consider is that nuts contain omega-6 polyunsaturated fats. People avoid oils high in omega-6 polys but then suck down nuts and seeds with no hesitation.
The key here is balance. You need monounsaturated fats, omega-6 polyunsaturated fats, omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, and saturated fats. Eat them all, everyday.
In regards to oils don’t stop at fish, flax, and olive. Eat canola, toasted sesame, coconut, and peanut oil as well.
2 Responses to “Omega-6 Fats – Good, Bad, or Indifferent”
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People always seem to want to know the best in each food category. What’s the best vegetable, oil, fruit? What’s the one thing I need to eat to ensure I’m healthy?
But as you point out, it’s not quite like this. There’s rarely one best. In fact nutrient complexity is what we need, not a reductionist view of diet. Variey and balance are such an important part of a healthy diet.
The thing with the omega 6 oils is that you really don’t need to try very hard to get them
Like you said, they’re in nuts, beef, etc… It’s almost like saturated fat… for the most part, you’ll get enough saturated fats provdided you don’t try to avoid them.