Omega-6 fatty acids are types of fats that are found in plant oils such as vegetable, seed, and nut oils, and they’re found everywhere in the body. Omega-6 is still needed in our body, but only in moderation because it turns out that too much Omega-6 is bad and is linked to causing breathing difficulties in people with COPD, high blood pressure in people with diabetes, and inflammation that contributes to age-related diseases.
It all happens without our knowledge because most of the foods that we eat today have more Omega-6 than Omega-3. Ideally, one should ingest equal amounts of omega-6s and omega-3s, but this is nearly impossible with modern diets because most processed foods contain oils and fats high in omega-6s, like sunflower, cottonseed, soybean, and corn oils. Omega-6 should be avoided if possible, and people need to increase their intake of fish, fish oil, and other sources of omega-3s; otherwise, they will wind up with a dangerous imbalance of omega-6s and omega-3s.