Omega-6
Omega-6 fats are the polyunsaturated fats most diets are richest in. The main one, linoleic acid, is essential. Adults need 11 to 17 g of it a day, and nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils are its richest sources.
11-17 ga day for adults, adequate intake (US), as linoleic acid
4% of daily energy (EFSA adequate intake)
Upper limit · none set
- Most per 100 g 54.8g Wheat germ oil
- Most per portion 11g 1 handful walnuts
- Main sources Nuts and seed oils then seeds, poultry, and eggs
- Main type LA linoleic acid, most of the omega-6 in food
Daily amounts: US and EFSA adequate intakes for linoleic acid. Food figures per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.
Foods High in Omega-6
Ranked per 100 g, with what a usual portion gives, limited to 3 foods per category. Foods with a Caltide calorie page link to it.
W
Wheat germ oil
7.7 g in 1 tablespoon
54.8g / 100 g
W
Walnut oil
7.4 g in 1 tablespoon
52.9g / 100 g
C
Corn oil
7.3 g in 1 tablespoon
51.9g / 100 g
W
Walnuts
11 g in 1 handful
Nutrition facts
38.1g / 100 g
S
Sunflower seeds
47 g in 1 cup
32.8g / 100 g
M
Mixed seeds
43 g in 1 cup
29.5g / 100 g
S
Soy nut butter
4 g in 1 tablespoon
25.3g / 100 g
S
Soy nuts
12 g in 1 cup
12.6g / 100 g
L
Lard
20 g in 1 cup
10.2g / 100 g
C
Cheese ball
1.4 g in 1 tablespoon
9.1g / 100 g
C
Chicken tail
2.4 g in 1 tail
7.9g / 100 g
C
Chicken skin
1.6 g in 1 oz
7.9g / 100 g
Per 100 g vs. a Usual Portion
Why the food that ranks first per 100 g can give less in a real serving.
| Food | Usual portion | Per 100 g | Per portion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walnuts | 1 handful (28 g) | 38.1g | 11g |
| Pistachios | 1 handful (28 g) | 14.1g | 3.9g |
| Almonds | 1 handful (28 g) | 12.9g | 3.6g |
| Peanut butter | 1 tablespoon (16 g) | 12.3g | 2g |
| Olive oil | 1 tablespoon (14 g) | 8.8g | 1.2g |
Walnuts stand out: a handful has more omega-6 than several tablespoons of olive oil, because olive oil is mostly monounsaturated fat, not polyunsaturated.
What Is Omega-6?
Omega-6 fats have their first double bond six carbons from the end of the chain. Linoleic acid, with 18 carbons, makes up most of the omega-6 in food. The body cannot make it, which puts it beside ALA as one of the two essential fatty acids.
Linoleic Acid and Arachidonic Acid
Linoleic acid has a structural job in the skin: it is part of the fats that seal the outer layer and keep water in. That is why the classic sign of too little is dry, scaly skin.
The body also lengthens linoleic acid into arachidonic acid (AA), a 20-carbon omega-6 that cells turn into messengers for inflammation, clotting, and blood flow. Meat and eggs supply a little arachidonic acid directly: a boiled egg in our library has 0.1 g per 100 g. Arachidonic acid competes with EPA for the same enzymes, which is where the idea of balancing the two families comes from.
Omega-6, Cholesterol, and Inflammation
Swapping saturated fat for linoleic acid lowers LDL cholesterol, one of the most consistent findings in nutrition research. The worry that omega-6 drives inflammation comes mostly from its link to arachidonic acid; eating more linoleic acid raises arachidonic acid in the body only a little, because that step is tightly controlled.
No health agency sets a target ratio of omega-6 to omega-3. EFSA and the US give a separate amount for each, so a better ratio comes from eating enough omega-3, not from cutting omega-6 below its own need.
A Normal Day of Food and Its Omega-6
This sample day uses foods from our library in usual portions, with only a tablespoon of olive oil for cooking.
| Meal | Food | Amount | Omega-6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Oats | 40g | 0.88g |
| Breakfast | Peanut butter | 16g | 2g |
| Snack | Almonds | 28g | 3.6g |
| Lunch | Bread | 50g | 0.84g |
| Lunch | Hummus | 34g | 2.3g |
| Dinner | Chicken breast | 135g | 1.6g |
| Dinner | Olive oil | 14g | 1.2g |
| Treat | Popcorn | 85g | 6g |
| Total | 18g |
That is 18 g, above the US amount for both women (12 g) and men (17 g), with no seed oil added. Nuts, spreads, and snacks each give a few grams.
How Much Omega-6 You Need
Set as linoleic acid, the essential omega-6. Needs drop a little after 50.
| Age | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 1 - 3 years | 7g | 7g |
| 4 - 8 years | 10g | 10g |
| 9 - 13 years | 12g | 10g |
| 14 - 18 years | 16g | 11g |
| 19 - 50 years | 17g | 12g |
| 51+ years | 14g | 11g |
| Pregnancy | - | 13g |
| Breastfeeding | - | 13g |
Omega-6 Supplements
Supplements are a source of omega-6 too. Most are oils sold for their GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), not for linoleic acid, which food already supplies.
Evening Primrose Oil
The best-known GLA oil. NCCIH reports it has not been shown to help eczema. Side effects are usually mild, such as an upset stomach or headache.
Borage and Blackcurrant Seed Oil
Also sold for GLA. Borage plants contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can harm the liver, so NCCIH advises only products certified free of them.
Sources: NCCIH. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before combining a supplement with a medicine.
Tracking Omega-6 in Caltide
- Logged automaticallyCaltide adds up the omega-6 in every food you log and shows it against the amount for your age and sex in the Nutrition tab, with linoleic acid and arachidonic acid listed under it.
- Supplements count tooIf you take an oil such as evening primrose, add it once with its fatty acids per serving. Each day you tick it off, it counts toward your total.
Omega-6 Sources and References
The figures and claims on this page are checked against these sources. Food amounts come from USDA FoodData Central.
Questions About Omega-6
Adults aged 19 to 50 need about 17 g of linoleic acid a day for men and 12 g for women (US adequate intake). EFSA sets it at 4% of daily energy, about 9 g on 2,000 kcal.
In our food library, wheat germ oil: 54.8 g per 100 g. Walnut oil (52.9 g) and Corn oil (51.9 g) come next. Most of the richest foods are vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds.
Not in a simple way. The body can turn linoleic acid into arachidonic acid, which it uses to make inflammatory messengers, but the step is tightly controlled. Replacing saturated fat with linoleic acid lowers LDL cholesterol, and health agencies set an amount to reach, not a limit.
Neither EFSA nor the US sets one. Both give separate amounts for omega-6 and omega-3, so the useful step is to reach the omega-3 amounts rather than to cut omega-6.
Not compared with nuts or seed oils. Olive oil in our library has 8.8 g of omega-6 per 100 g, against 38.1 g in walnuts. Most of olive oil's fat is monounsaturated.
Yes. Evening primrose, borage, and blackcurrant seed oils are sold for their GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), an omega-6. Most people already get enough linoleic acid from food.
A real shortage is rare. It shows as dry, scaly skin, slow wound healing and, in infants, poor growth.
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