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Why Omega 6 Fatty Acids Are Crucial for the Health of Your Heart

Much attention has recently been paid to the potential harm caused by saturated and particularly so-called ?trans fats? in the diet. Saturated fats are commonly those derived from animal sources, particularly meat and dairy produce, whereas trans fats are otherwise healthy polyunsaturated oils which have been artificially treated to make them solid at room temperature. These are regarded as especially pernicious because they are very commonly hidden in popular processed foods such as pies, cakes, biscuits, bread and pizza dough, to name but a few.

Amongst the worst effects of trans fats are a dramatic increase in blood levels of low-density lipids (LDL), the so-called ?bad cholesterol?, which is known to be a major risk factor in the development of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and other forms of cardiovascular disease. And as if this wasn?t bad enough, trans fats also increase the production of the free radicals which oxidise this bad cholesterol.

Some studies, however, suggest that it is not so much the intake of saturated and trans fats in itself which is the problem, but the ratio of saturated fat to polyunsaturated fatty acids consumed, and the replacement of saturated and trans fats with polyunsaturated fatty acids is therefore highly recommended for cardiac health.

In fact large scale studies following tens of thousands of subjects over decades have shown the risk of coronary heart disease to be reduced by as much as a quarter in those obtaining the highest proportion of their energy intake from polyunsaturated fatty acids when compared with those at the lower end of the scale.

The omega 6 fatty acid, linoleic acid, is the polyunsaturate most richly supplied by a normal diet and there is good evidence that those of the omega-6 group are the most effective at reducing blood levels of Low Density Lipids (LDL). Evidence also suggests that although omega 3 fatty acids may help reduce blood triglycerides, which is a significant benefit, they do not have a similar effect on levels of LDL cholesterol. Therefore, although there are undoubted benefits, and especially to cardiovascular health, in increasing intakes of omega 3, particularly through the consumption of oily fish, this should not be allowed to obscure the benefits of omega 6 fatty acids.

The European Commission recommends an omega-6 intake of 4-8% of total daily calorie intake. The World Health Organization, by contrast, currently advocates omega 6 fatty acids intake of 5-8% of total energy requirements; whilst the US Food and Nutrition Board has defined Adequate Intakes (AI) of omega 6 fatty acids as daily levels ranging from 4.4 ? 4.6 g for infants under 1 year to as much as 17g and 12g for adult men and women respectively.

The good news is that a decent supply of omega 6 fatty acids should be readily obtainable, because the richest dietary sources of linoleic acid are common vegetable oils like sunflower and safflower, a single tablespoon of each of which may contain as much as 9-10g. Soy, corn and sesame oils are not quite as rich in omega-6, but may still be useful. The bad news is that the processing involved in the commercial production of these oils may strip them of much of their nutritional power.

Worse still, their use in cooking may be just as harmful as the use of saturated or trans fats. But the use of as natural an oil as possible, preferably in its cold state in salads, will help provide omega-6 in its healthiest possible form; and the use of evening primrose or borage oils as supplements is also often recommended by nutritionists. Nuts such as brazils and pecans may also provide a small but useful supply of omega 6 fatty acids.

But which ever source is preferred, omega 6 fatty acids are like all other nutrients in that they function best in the presence of a good supply of all essential vitamins and minerals. There is particular evidence, however, to suggest that polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-6, may be more susceptible to oxidative, ie free radical, damage than saturated fats. In order to ensure the maximum possible benefit from omega 6 fatty acids (and for that matter, omega 3) some nutritionists therefore suggest that any increase in intake of polyunsaturates should be accompanied by a corresponding intake in vitamin E, the body?s most important fat-soluble anti-oxidant; an increase which will also deliver numerous health benefits in its own right.

Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter and journalist with a particular interest in wellness and nutrition More about omega 6 fatty acids, liquid vitamins and minerals

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