Omega 6 fatty acids are essential for our health.
But they are healthy only in moderation. More important than to ask the
question “What are the health benefits of omega 6”, is to ask “What is a
beneficial quantity of omega 6 to consume”?
Omega 6 has without question major benefits: omega
6 deficiency will result in serious health problems. It must be stressed,
however, that omega 6 deficiency is extremely rare, because the typical Western
foods contain an abundance of omega 6 from corn oil, soybean oil, safflower and
sunflower oil, as well as from animal fats. The Western diet is rich in omega
6, because the oils are cheap and stable. They prolong the shelf life of
processed foods, and the food industry therefore replaces more healthy fats and
oils with omega 6. Having said that, the benefits of adequate consumption of
omega 6 fall into three categories.
Omega 6 is essential for three critical
health benefits:
Benefits manifest on a cellular level, because
omega 6 plays an important role as a messenger.
