Omega-6 fats have been considered to be important, healthy fats. That was up until a while ago. Recently, there has been some confusion around the benefits and risk of Omega-6 fats.
Omega-6 is fatty acid that belongs to the class of polyunsaturated fats. It cannot be produced in the body, therefore it is mostly derived from vegetable oils rich in linoleic acid such as sunflower oil, soybean oil and palm oil.
According to a new study, published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, high consumption of Omega-6 fats can induce sedentary behaviour in pre-teen girls an also increase their risk of developing diabetes.
In previous studies, heart disease has been linked to high consumption of saturated fats - a notion which is being challenged by many health experts now. The new study claims that this may not have been the best decision.
When it comes to fats, you don't really need to cut them out of your diet but choose the right kind. Saturated fats like desi ghee are healthy and good for you. Similarly, though MUFAs and PUFAs are considered to be the good fats, you need to careful about what you pick. We go wrong when we choose foods like potato chips, energy bars, crackers or burgers use cooking oils like corn, sunflower and soybean and margarine which are rich in MUFAs and PUFAs but may not healthy at all.
Go for nuts and seeds, olive oil, oily fish and poultry to get your doses of polyunsaturated fats. Health experts also advice to have a mix of fats and cooking instead of relying on one kind for a balanced diet. Keep changing your cooking oils and try to incorporate a variety in your diet.
