Eating Omega-6 Rich Foods Like Walnuts and Soybean May Reduce the Risk of Diabetes: Study

Are you consuming foods that provide sufficient nutrients for the day? If not, then you must start, as these important nutrients help ward off any health hazard. According to a study published in the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology Journal, eating a diet rich in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats, particularly found in walnuts, fish, soybean and sunflower oil can significantly reduce a person’s risk of developing Type-2 diabetes. These findings shed a new light on the possible health benefits of omega-6 that is found in bean and seed oils such as soybean and sunflower oils in nuts, and further support recommendations to increase dietary intake of omega-6 rich foods.

For the study conducted, the team of researchers analyzed data from 20 studies involving 39,740 adults from 10 countries, in whom 4,347 new cases of diabetes occurred over time. They tested the participants for two key omega-6 markers- linoleic acid and arachidonic acid. Linoleic acid was associated with lower risk, while levels of arachidonic acid were not significantly associated with either higher or lower risk of diabetes.

The results suggested that the individuals who had the highest blood level of linoleic acid, the major omega-6 fat, were 35 percent less likely to develop Type-2 diabetes in the future than those who had the least amount.

The researchers suggested that a simple change in the diet might protect people from developing diabetes, which has reached alarming levels around the world. Linoleic acid is not formed in the body and can only be obtained from the diet. The results suggest that eating foods rich in linoleic acid may lower risk of Type-2 diabetes.