Top 10 Foods Highest in Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Written by Daisy Whitbread, MScN
Top 10 Foods Highest in Omega 3 Fatty Acids
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Omega 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats with numerous health benefits, particularly regarding cardiovascular health. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is a type of Omega 3 fat found in plant foods which cannot be manufactured by the human body. Once consumed, ALAs can be converted into eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPAs and DHAs are also typically found in seafood.

Foods High in Omega 3 Fatty Acids include flaxseed oil, fish oil, chia seeds, walnuts, fish roe (eggs), fatty fish, seafood, soybeans, and spinach. Below are the top 10 foods high in Omega 3 fatty acids, for more, see the extended list of foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids, and the list of foods with a high omega 3 to omega 6 ratio.

#1: Flaxseed Oil (Cold Pressed)
Omega-3 100g Per cup (218g)Per tablespoon (14g)
53449mg 116519mg 7483mg
Other Vegetable Oils High in Omega-3 (per tablespoon): Canola Oil (1279mg), and Soybean Oil (950mg). Click to see complete nutrition facts.



#2: Fish Oil (Salmon)
Omega-3 100g Per tablespoon (14g)Per teaspoon (5g)
37044mg 5186mg 1852mg
Other Fish Oils High in Omega-3 (per tablespoon): Menhaden (4114mg), Sardine (3611mg), Cod Liver Oil (2763mg), and Herring (1876mg). Click to see complete nutrition facts.



#3: Chia Seeds
Omega-3 100g Per 2oz (56g)Per ounce (28g)
17830mg 9984mg 4992mg
Flaxseeds are also high in Omega 3s providing 6388mg per ounce or 2281mg per tablespoon.
Click to see complete nutrition facts.



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#4: Walnuts & Walnut Oil (Walnuts)
Omega-3 100g Per cup, pieces (120g)Per ounce (28g)
9080mg 10896mg 2542mg
Other Nuts High in Omega-3 (per ounce): Butternuts (2441mg), Black Walnuts (750mg), Beechnuts (476mg), Hickory Nuts (293mg), Pecans (289mg), Pine Nuts (220mg), Pistachios (73mg), and Macadamia Nuts (58mg). Walnut Oil contains (1456mg) per tablespoon. Click to see complete nutrition facts.



#5: Fish Roe (Caviar)
Omega-3 100g Per ounce (28g)Per tablespoon (16g)
6803mg 1905mg 1088mg
Fish Roe from most species provides 342mg of Omega 3s per tablespoon (14g). Click to see complete nutrition facts.



#6: Cured & Canned Fish (Smoked Salmon)
Omega-3 100g Per fillet (108g)Per ounce (28g)
2880mg 3110mg 806mg
Other Cured & Canned Fish High in Omega-3 (per ounce): Salted Mackerel (1504mg), Kippered Herring (705mg), Canned Anchovy (609mg), Canned Mackerel (403mg), Canned Salmon (375mg), Canned Sardines (310mg). Click to see complete nutrition facts.



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#7: Fish (Mackerel)
Omega-3 100g Per fillet (112g)Per 3oz (85g)
2789mg 3124mg 2371mg
Other Fish High in Omega-3 (per 3oz): American Shad (2396mg), Farmed Atlantic Salmon (2126mg), Wild Atlantic Salmon (1967mg), Wild Coho Salmon (1545mg), Farmed Coho Salmon (1187mg), Herring (1564mg), Anchovy (1827mg), Tuna (1457mg), Halibut (1242mg), Trout (1065mg), Swordfish (913mg), and Pollock (490mg). Click to see complete nutrition facts.



#8: Seafood (Oysters)
Omega-3 100g Per 3 ounces (85g)In a medium oyster (25g)
1584mg 1346mg 396mg
Other Seafood High in Omega-3 (per ounce):Mussels (762mg), Squid (470mg), and Clams (357mg).Click to see complete nutrition facts.



#9: Soybeans (Roasted)
Omega-3 100g Per cup (172g)Per ounce (28g)
1694mg 2914mg 474mg
Other Soy Foods High in Omega-3 (per ounce): Dried-Frozen Tofu (Koyadofu) (567mg), Fried Tofu (377mg), Raw Firm Tofu (163mg), and Fuyu (Fermented Tofu) (150mg). Click to see complete nutrition facts.



#10: Spinach (Cooked, Boiled)
Omega-3 100g Per cup (190g)1 cup raw (30g)
371mg 704mg 41mg
Other Vegetables High in Omega-3 (per cup, cooked without added oil): Winter Squash (664mg), Brussels Sprouts (270mg), Cauliflower (208mg), Kale (163mg), and Broccoli (151mg). Click to see complete nutrition facts. See the nutrient ranking for 500 vegetables high in Omega 3s. (Note some vegetables are cooked in high omega 3 oils and should not be taken into account.)



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Click each heading below for more information from MyFoodData.com

Spices (Mustard Seed) 3792mg per 100 gram serving228mg per tablespoon (6 grams)76mg per teaspoon (2 grams)Click to see complete nutrition facts for Spices
Herbs (Dried Parsley) 1860mg per 100 gram serving 37mg per tablespoon (2 grams) 19mg per teaspoon (1 gram)Click to see complete nutrition facts for Herbs
Crackers (Made with Omega 3 Fats)1485mg per 100 gram serving238mg per 5 crackers (16 grams)45mg per cracker (3 grams)Click to see complete nutrition facts for Crackers
Avocado Oil 957mg per 100 gram serving134mg per tablespoon (14 grams)48mg per teaspoon (5 grams)Click to see complete nutrition facts for Avocado Oil
Wheat Germ Oil, Oat Oil & Rice Bran Oil (Wheat Germ Oil) 6900mg per 100 gram serving966mg per tablespoon (14 grams)345mg per teaspoon (5 grams)Click to see complete nutrition facts for Wheat Germ Oil, Oat Oil & Rice Bran Oil
Spirulina823mg per 100 gram serving922mg per cup (112 grams)58mg per tablespoon (7 grams)Click to see complete nutrition facts for Spirulina
Fontina Cheese790mg per 100 gram serving1043mg per cup, diced (132 grams)221mg per ounce (28 grams)Click to see complete nutrition facts for Fontina Cheese
Olive Oil 761mg per 100 gram serving107mg per tablespoon (14 grams)38mg per teaspoon (5 grams)Click to see complete nutrition facts for Olive Oil
Vegetable & Sweet Potato Chips (Garden Vegetable Chips) 2127mg per 100 gram serving596mg per ounce (28 grams)Click to see complete nutrition facts for Vegetable & Sweet Potato Chips
Wheat Germ 723mg per 100 gram serving831mg per cup (115 grams)Click to see complete nutrition facts for Wheat Germ
Peanut Butter (Added Omega-3) 3094mg per 100 gram serving 495mg per tablespoon (16 grams)Click to see complete nutrition facts for Peanut Butter with Added Omega-3
Grass Fed Beef 90mg per 100 gram serving 77mg per 3 oz (85 grams)Click to see complete nutrition facts for Grass Fed Beef

  • Reduced Risk of Cardiovascular Disease2
  • Reduced severity of dementia and mental decline3
  • Alleviation of Arthritis and Inflammation4

Due to the variation of fats in a specific food it is almost never possible to capture every Omega 3 fat. Therefore, this data is almost surely an underestimate of the amount of omega 3 fats. That said, the underestimate is likely equal among foods, giving the rankings some weight.

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Data Sources and References

  1. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 27.
  2. Penny M. Kris-Etherton, William S. Harris, Lawrence J. Appel. Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.2003; 23: 151-152doi: 10.1161/01.ATV.0000057393.97337.AE
  3. CH Maclean, AM Issa, SJ Newberry, WA Mojica, SC Morton, RH Garland, LG Hilton, SB Traina, and PG Shekelle. Effects of Omega?3 Fatty Acids on Cognitive Function with Aging, Dementia, and Neurological Diseases: Summary. AHRQ Evidence Report Summaries.
  4. Rebecca Wall1, R Paul Ross, Gerald F Fitzgerald, and Catherine Stanton. Fatty acids from fish: the anti-inflammatory potential of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Nutrition ReviewsVolume 68, Issue 5, pages 280-289, May 2010