There are four types of omega-6 fatty acids:

1. Linoleic Acid (LA) is a fatty acid that contains an essential group of chemicals called conjugated linoleic acid. Sources include dairy products and beef.¹
2. Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA) is a fatty acid found primarily in vegetable oils. Also found in edible hemp seeds, oats, barley, and spirulina. The human body produces GLA from linoleic acid. Deficiencies in GLA usually only occur with age or dietary deficiencies.¹
3. Dihomo Gamma Linolenic Acid (DGLA) is an uncommon fatty acid usually found in trace amounts in animal products.¹
4. Arachidonic Acid (ARA) is a polyunsaturated fatty acid found in animal and human fat as well as in the liver, brain, and glandular organs.^1,2 ARA is found almost exclusively in meats. However, the pro-inflammatory metabolites of ARA from animal products have been found to cause neuroinflammation, and play a role in cancer, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune disorders.³ Eating a lot of arachidonic acid (obtained from meat) may quadruple our risk of developing the inflammatory bowel disease Ulcerative Colitis.⁴

Note: Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are used on some of the same pathways and an excess of one can suppress the absorption or transformation of the other. However, research indicates that people should minimize their intake of omega-6 rich oils (such as safflower, sunflower, and cottonseed) and try to eat health omega-3 rich whole foods such as walnuts and flax seeds. Flax seeds are particularly healthy. They not only contain cardio-protective omega-3s, but also cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber and cancer-fighting lignans. A 2011 study concluded, “Studies proved that flaxseed has tremendous potential in disease prevention particularly cardiovascular disease (CVD), osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer (breast, colon, and prostate cancer), and constipation and also affects immunity favorably.”⁵