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10 foods that cause inflammation
- Vegetable oils
- Margarine or Spreads with Partially-Hydrogenated Oil
- Fatty meats
- Whole milk
- Cream cheese
- Processed cheese
- Sugar
- Full fat yoghurt
- Refined carbohydrates
Foods high in Omega 6
- Sunflower oil
- Salad dressings and mayonnaise
- Nuts and seeds (sunflower seeds)
- Fast foods
- Cookies candies and cakes
- Pork products
- Chicken thighs
- Dairy and eggs
- Beef
Omega-6 fatty acids are essential fatty acids. They are necessary for human health, but the body cannot make them. You have to get them through food. Along with omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function, and normal growth and development. As a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), omega-6s help stimulate skin and hair growth, maintain bone health, regulate metabolism, and maintain the reproductive system.
A healthy diet contains a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, and some omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation. Omega-6 fatty acids are proinflammatory, because they are broken down by the body and converted into prostaglandins and other inflammatory proteins.
Omega-3 fatty acids are also converted into inflammatory proteins, but this conversion takes place much more slowly, so that the body’s natural mechanisms of breaking down inflammatory mediators occur before inflammation has a chance to take place. When you consume omega-6 fatty acids, inflammatory proteins are built so quickly that the body’s natural process of metabolizing them is overwhelmed, and inflammation and its symptoms are much more likely to occur. Unchecked inflammation may be a factor in the development of a number of diseases, including heart disease. Obviously, ingesting substances that create more inflammatory proteins in the body is not good for people struggling with arthritis.
Inflammation is a root cause of numerous diseases and disorders common in the Western world. These range from arthritis to heart disease to asthma. Yes, there is a huge amount of research which shows that diets high in Omega 6 but low in Omega 3 are linked to these diseases.
Before you get too worried about your Omega 3:6 ratios, bear in mind that the evidence mostly shows that it is Omega 6 from processed food which is to blame. When the Omega 6 is from natural foods, it doesn’t seem to have a negative effect on health.
For example: 1oz of sesame seeds contain 105mg of Omega 3 and 5,985mg of Omega 6. That’s a 1:57 ratio! Yet, there is evidence that shows sesame seeds reduce inflammation. Nutrition isn’t as simple as dubbing something pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory. Other components of sesame seeds affect the inflammatory response; it isn’t just Omega 3 and Omega 6.
The bottom line? If you are eating natural, unprocessed foods, don’t worry too much about getting the right ratio of Omega 3:6 – at least as far as inflammation goes.
Excess consumption of omega-6s can trigger the body to produce pro-inflammatory chemicals. These fatty acids are found in oils such corn, safflower, sunflower, grapeseed, soy, peanut, and vegetable; mayonnaise; and many salad dressings.
Vegan for life ♥