All about omega 6 and omega 9

Caya KerkhofOrthomolecular Advisor07 february 20243 min. reading time

You have probably heard of omega 3, but did you know there are two other omega fatty acids? Namely omega 6 and omega 9. One is polyunsaturated, the other monounsaturated. One is essential, the other is not. However, what they have in common is that they both offer health benefits. Read on to discover everything about these omega fatty acids, from what they are and where they can be found, to their importance for your body and health.

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What is omega 6?

Omega 6 fatty acids, also known as n-6 fatty acids, are polyunsaturated fatty acids. The most common omega 6 fatty acid is linoleic acid (LA). Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid, meaning our body cannot produce it on its own and you must obtain it through your diet. Other forms of omega 6 fatty acids include gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and arachidonic acid (AA). AA and GLA are not essential fatty acids. From linoleic acid, GLA and AA can be produced by the body.

Sources of omega 6 fatty acids

Linoleic acid is mainly found in vegetable oils such as sunflower oil, corn oil, and soybean oil, but also in margarine and low-fat spreads.
Gamma-linolenic acid is found in evening primrose oil, borage oil, and black currant.
Arachidonic acid is present in meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products.

What is omega 6 good for?

Among the omega 6 fatty acids, only linoleic acid has an approved health claim:

Linoleic acid contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.*

*With a daily intake of 10 g LA.

What is the dietary advice for omega 6?

For omega 6 fatty acids, there is only advice for linoleic acid. The Health Council advises that approximately 2% of your daily calorie intake should come from linoleic acid. For an adult woman, this means about 4 grams per day (based on 2000 calories). For an adult man, this is about 6 grams per day (based on 2500 calories). You get enough linoleic acid by consuming healthy oils and fats used in food preparation or as spreads.

Ratio of omega 3 and omega 6

The downside of linoleic acid is that an excess (which is not converted to GLA) and a deficiency of omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA lead to increased production of the pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid (AA). Therefore, it is important to maintain a healthy fatty acid balance between omega 6 and omega 3. An optimal balance between the two should be about 4:1. However, in the Netherlands, the difference between these fatty acids is often much larger, namely between 10:1 and 20:1. This difference is caused by too much omega 6 in our diet and too little EPA and DHA intake.

Want to know more about omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA? Read all about omega 3.

What is omega 9?

Omega 9, like omega 3 and 6, is an unsaturated fatty acid. However, omega 9 fatty acids are monounsaturated fats. The main omega 9 fatty acid is oleic acid. Unlike omega 3 and 6, omega 9 is not an essential fatty acid. This means that the body can produce these fatty acids on its own. Although omega 9 fatty acids are not essential, they do contribute to good health. Omega 9 helps to maintain normal cholesterol levels in the blood. Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is important to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Sources of omega 9

You can find omega 9 in:

Olive oil, peanut oil, rice oil
Avocados
Nuts and seeds

What is omega 9 good for?

Oleic acid contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.

In conclusion

Omega 6 and omega 9 are unsaturated fatty acids. Although one is essential and the other is not, they both offer health benefits. In short, the body cannot do without fatty acids. Ensure a balanced intake of these fatty acids through a healthy and varied diet.

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