Top 10 Foods Highest in Omega 6 Fatty Acids

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Top 10 Foods Highest in Omega 6 Fatty Acids

Omega-6 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat naturally occurring in nuts, seeds and vegetable oils. Consumption of omega-6 fats has dramatically increased over recent years, due to the wide use of refined vegetable oils and their addition to processed and fast foods. (1)

While many sources of omega-6 are healthy, this large increase in consumption has been linked to health problems, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases. (2)

What appears to be the problem is that the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in the diet has become too high. For some people, therefore, increasing omega 3 fats and limiting omega-6 consumption (especially from unhealthy sources) can be beneficial.

Unhealthy foods high in omega-6 fats include processed snacks, fast foods, cakes, fatty meats, and cured meats. Healthier sources of omega-6 fats include tofu, walnuts, and peanut butter. (3) Tofu and walnuts contain omega 3 fats and have a reasonable omega 3 to omega 6 ratio. The adequate intake (AI) for omega-6 foods is 17g per day for men and 12g for women. (4,5)

For more, please see the article of foods with the best omega 3 to 6 ratio, and the unfiltered list of over 200 foods high in omega 6 fats.

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Printable list of foods high in omega 6 fats. Foods high in omega 6 fats include unhealthy foods like processed snacks, fast foods, cakes, fatty meats, and cured meats. Other Omega 6 foods are healthier including tofu, walnuts, and peanut butter.

How much Omega 6 fats do you need every day?

Below are the daily adequate intakes (%AI) established for omega 6 foods. Adequate intakes are used when there is not enough data to formulate a recommended dietary allowance (RDA). The adequate intake of omega 6 fats ranges between 4g - 17g per day for most people.

Life StageRDA
Infants
0-6 months old4.4g
7-12 months old4.6g
Children
1-3 years old7g
4-8 years old10g
Males
9-13 years old12g
14-18 years old16g
19-50 years old17g
51+ years old14g
Females
9-13 years old10g
14-18 years old11g
19-50 years old12g
51+ years old11g
Pregnancy
14-50 years old13g
Lactation
14-50 years old13g
Source: National Library of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes for energy, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, and amino acids.

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Data Sources and References

  1. Changes in consumption of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the United States during the 20th century.
  2. The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids.
  3. U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
  4. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. The National Academies Press.
  5. Oregan State University on Essential Fatty Acids
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