The fats you need more of

Q. I’m confused after reading an article about omega-6 fatty acids being bad for you. If soybean oil is high in omega-6s, are soybean oil and other soybean products bad for you? – Anonymous

A. First, let’s clear up some reputations: Soybeans are good. So are omega-6s. Like the fatty acids with the better rep (omega-3s), they’re “essential,” meaning your body needs them but can’t make them itself. So you have to get them from what you eat.