Omega-6 (linoleic acid)
Macronutrients
The essential fatty acid of seeds and common oils.
Essential, but the Western plate is awash in it. What counts is not having it, it is the RATIO to omega-3 — hence the point of reading this line next to “Plant omega-3”.
Effects and benefits
The essential omega-6 of seeds and oils. At 10 g a day, it contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels; and it is part of the layer that keeps the skin from losing water.
Linoleic acid contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels, from 10 g a day (Regulation 432/2012).
In the skin, it forms part of the ceramides of the horny layer, the mortar that holds surface cells together and retains water. The first deficiencies described, in infants fed skimmed milk, caused dry, scaly skin that a few drops of oil made disappear (Hansen et al., 1963).
EFSA sets the adequate intake at 4% of energy, about 9 to 11 g a day for an adult (EFSA, 2010).
Sources: EU Regulation 432/2012 · Hansen et al., Pediatrics, 1963 · EFSA, 2010
Where to find it (13)
- Argan oil
- Brazil nut
- Grenoble walnut
- Hemp seeds
- Peanut
- Pecan
- Pine nut
- Pumpkin seeds
- Rice bran oil
- Sesame seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Virgin sesame oil
- Virgin walnut oil