ArtsAutosBooksBusinessEducationEntertainmentFamilyFashionFoodGamesGenderHealthHolidaysHomeHubPagesPersonal FinancePetsPoliticsReligionSportsTechnologyTravel

Omega 6 and 9 Fatty Acids: Benefits and Balancing of the Omega's

Updated on August 26, 2015
Image courtesy of thawats
Image courtesy of thawats

The Fatty Acids

We already know that Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for our well being and better functioning of the body. We have understood that they improve our immune and cardiovascular system. They affect affect the whole body for the better. These fatty acids are not produced by the body reason why we do need to look for them in other things. Plants and fish are the best resources when looking for these supplements. They both present different kinds of it. Summarizing, we know that we need omega 3 and we need a lot of it.

We have to see the rest of the spectrum. Omega 6 and 9 are just as important as the 3rd but are less known of. A perfect balance between all these fatty acids is what we should be aiming for. We can recognize that too much of any of them, as of anything, is always bad for the body, but that we need it for optimal functioning of our systems and cells.

Bob's Red Mill Raw Shelled Sunflower Seeds (Kernels Only), 20 Ounce (Pack of 4) (Package May Vary)
Bob's Red Mill Raw Shelled Sunflower Seeds (Kernels Only), 20 Ounce (Pack of 4) (Package May Vary)
Product Description Bob's Red Mill Sunflower Seeds are delicious as a high protein snack as an addition to bread, cakes, cookies and muffins. They are also a crunchy substitute for bacon bits and croutons on cooked vegetables and salads. All natural. Bob's Red Mill is the most unique flour mill in the Northwest. We use century old stone grinding equipment to freshly mill whole grain products. Delight your family with whole grain goodness.
 

Omega 6: What Are We Getting from it?

When it comes to talking about omega 6, it is simply fatty acid that the body cannot produce naturally, thus needs to obtain through food. They are regarded as one of the best nutrients for the brain, just as the omega 3 one is, since it helps with its development and eventually becomes part of it.

There is a risk when consuming too much of this nutrient. Despite this fact, we should never be afraid of including it in our diet and balancing it with all other things we eat. If the ratio and the consumption are always respected then there should be no problem with it.

This fatty acid is in charge of many growths and maintenance in the body. Aiding the strength in bones, hair and skin growth and even improving and controlling the functioning of the reproductive system.

Now, the overdose on these fatty acids is known to produce uncomfortable inflammation, especially if there are more omegas 6 in the body rather than omega 3. The balance between the two has to be just right. There are of course some of the groups known not to give the same results of inflammation, like the ones obtained from vegetable oils.

Image courtesy of foto76
Image courtesy of foto76

Uses of Omega 6

Many of us only use this fatty acid for bone and brain growth but the uses are quite large, competing with the ones from omega 3. The uses are as follows:

  • Aiding in breast cancer: A type of the Omega 6 fatty acid, known as GLA, is best used for the treatment of breast cancer since it is a natural nutrient that reduces inflammation and works well with most medications, almost never producing a side effect. Although many state that this could go either way, it would be great to talk about the possibility of including this in your diet if going through this and wanting to see different results after each procedure.
  • Immune system improvement: It is quite known that because of this fatty acid many people have battled their sicknesses and allergic reactions quite well. This does vary depending on the person and their medical history but for the most part, if you see an improvement after beginning to increase omega 6 then continue onward safely.

Laura Soybeans, newest crop and Non-GMO - directly from the Chambers Family Farm in Iowa. Makes best Soy Milk, Tofu, or Tempeh.
Laura Soybeans, newest crop and Non-GMO - directly from the Chambers Family Farm in Iowa. Makes best Soy Milk, Tofu, or Tempeh.
This is the same soybean as the free sample soybean shipped with the SoyaJoy and SoyaPower soy milk makers. The Laura soy bean is specifically selected for making fresh soy milk. The Non-GMO soybean is Vegan-endorsed, new crop directly from Iowa family farm. The #1 secret for making great tasting soy milk at your own kitchen is to use new crop soybean. Imported organic soybeans or beans through long distribution channels can be years old and lost significant nutrition and taste. Soybeans can store for up to 10 years, which are still OK for use as feed or making oil, but not good for soy milk! You will find that new crop soybean makes a huge difference in taste and nutrition for homemade soy milk.
 
  • Helps fight against arthritis: Sharing this quality with omega 3, there are many studies that suggest that the fatty acid assists the body and joints when suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Many people state that it works wonders and it does not hurt to try it.
  • Osteoporosis: Bone loss and injury is most prominent in bodies lacking omega 6, so getting enough in your diet will support your growth and bones health.

There are many more uses of the fatty acid, including pain depletion in women with menstrual or breast pain, eczema issues in the face and back, and even helping in diabetic neuropathy. It is highly encouraged to get enough of this nutrient alongside omega 3.The best sources to get omega 6 are the following:

  • Sunflower oil
  • Flaxseed oil
  • Safflower oil
  • Corn
  • Cottonseed oil
  • Soybeans
  • Sesame seeds
  • eggs
  • avocado
  • nuts
  • poultry
  • pine nuts
  • coconut

These are the most efficient in supplying the referred fatty acids for you even though there are other sources.

Image courtesy of phasinphoto
Image courtesy of phasinphoto

Omega 9: Where does it Stand?

Now that we have understood how important the other two fatty acids are and how we should balance them in our diets, let's see just how much we need the last one in our lives. They are mono-unsaturated fats that aid in our health and body just as much as the other nutrients.

These are most efficient for our heart heath, our cholesterol and high blood pressure, and the control of the sugar in our blood. It is also found in most plants and plant oils, such as canola oil, olive oil, almonds, avocados, eggs, poultry and cashews. These are the least recognized since their benefits are not as big but are very much needed.

Uses of Omega 9

The uses are most generally directed to aiding the heart and lowering the bad cholesterol in our bodies. It is not needed or required in our body, so things are not going to fall apart without it but it will help us get better and feel happier. Since it is regulating the blood sugar level and how we function when in situations of extreme fatigue, the nutrient is great for daily consumption. It should not be sought as much as the other two.

The nutrients are not produced naturally which means that we will always continue looking for them in our foods and sometimes just buy pills or supplements of them. They should always have a place in our diets and an importance in our minds since they give many long lasting uses, especially when it comes to brain, heart and bones.

The balance between them is hard to maintain, I will be honest about that, but it is not impossible. Just remember that omega 3 is the most important and is found in fishes the most, the 6th is amazing but should be consumed less from the natural oils and the 9th is great and is needed the least. So keep it in your diet and if you think you need any help modifying your food and your shopping list, talk to your G.P. or a diet professional. One thing is for sure, going through life without these is not an option to consider.

Images Courtesy of:

working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)