Table of Contents
Top 10 Foods Highest in Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats with numerous health benefits, particularly regarding cardiovascular health.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids have 3 main dietary types:
-Alpha Linolenic Acids (ALAs) - Found in Plant Foods
-Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) - Found in Fish and Seafood
-Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) - Found in Fish and Seafood
Foods High in Omega 3 Fatty Acids include flaxseeds, chia seeds, fish, walnuts, tofu, shellfish, canola oil, navy beans, brussels sprouts, and avocados. The adequate intake (%AI) for Omega 3 fats is 1600mg per day.
Below are the top 10 foods high in omega 3 fatty acids, for more, see the list of foods with a high omega 3 to omega 6 ratio, and the complete list of over 200 foods high in omega 3s.
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List of High Omega 3 Foods
1
Flax Seeds
- 405% AI (6479mg) Omega 3s per oz
- 4mg Omega 3 per 1mg Omega 6
- 152 Calories
Nutrition Facts for Flax Seeds
See all nuts and seeds high in omega 3s.
2
Chia Seeds
- 316% AI (5064mg) Omega 3s per oz (~2 tblsp)
- 3mg Omega 3 per 1mg Omega 6
- 138 Calories
Nutrition Facts for Chia Seeds
-165% AI in 1 oz of hemp seeds
3
Fish (Salmon)
-182% AI in a 6oz tuna fillet
-84% AI in 3oz of canned salmon
See the complete list of fish high in omega 3s.
- 266% AI (4252mg) Omega 3s per 6oz fillet
- 4mg Omega 3 per 1mg Omega 6
- 350 Calories
Nutrition Facts for Farmed Atlantic Salmon
More Fish High in Omega 3s
-240% AI in a 5oz herring fillet-182% AI in a 6oz tuna fillet
-84% AI in 3oz of canned salmon
See the complete list of fish high in omega 3s.
4
Walnuts
-14% AI in 1oz of pine nuts
-5% AI in 1oz of pistachios
See all nuts and seeds high in omega 3s.
- 161% AI (2579mg) Omega 3s per oz
- 1mg Omega 3 per 4mg Omega 6
- 186 Calories
Nutrition Facts for Walnuts
More Nuts High in Omega 3s
-18% AI in 1oz of pecans-14% AI in 1oz of pine nuts
-5% AI in 1oz of pistachios
See all nuts and seeds high in omega 3s.
5
Tofu
-30% AI in 1 cup of cooked soybean sprouts
- 92% AI (1467mg) Omega 3s per cup
- 1mg Omega 3 per 7mg Omega 6
- 363 Calories
Nutrition Facts for Firm Tofu
Other Soy Products High in Omega 3s
-64% AI in 1 cup of boiled soybeans (edamame)-30% AI in 1 cup of cooked soybean sprouts
6
Shellfish (Oysters, Mussels, Clams)
-22% AI in 3oz of crab
-10% AI in 3oz of clams
See the complete list of fish and seafood high in omega 3s.
- 84% AI (1346mg) Omega 3s per 3oz serving
- 25mg Omega 3 per 1mg Omega 6
- 139 Calories
Nutrition Facts for Cooked Pacific Oysters
More Seafood High in Omega 3s
-48% AI in 3oz of mussels-22% AI in 3oz of crab
-10% AI in 3oz of clams
See the complete list of fish and seafood high in omega 3s.
7
Canola Oil
-52% AI in 1 tblsp of mustard oil
-14% AI in 1 tblsp of rice bran oil
- 80% AI (1279mg) Omega 3s per tblsp
- 1mg Omega 3 per 2mg Omega 6
- 124 Calories
Nutrition Facts for Canola Oil
Other Vegetable Oils High in Omega 3s
-58% AI in 1 tblsp of soybean oil-52% AI in 1 tblsp of mustard oil
-14% AI in 1 tblsp of rice bran oil
8
Navy Beans
-15% AI in 1 cup of pinto beans
-11 AI in 1 cup of black beans
- 20% AI (322mg) Omega 3s per cup
- This food has no Omega 6 fats.
- 255 Calories
Nutrition Facts for Navy Beans
More Beans High in Omega 3s
-19% AI in 1 cup of kidney beans-15% AI in 1 cup of pinto beans
-11 AI in 1 cup of black beans
9
Brussels Sprouts
-12% AI in 1 cup of winter squash
-12% AI in 1 cup of broccoli
-11% AI in 1 cup of zucchini
-10% AI in 1 cup of Spinach
-See all vegetables high in omega 3s.
- 17% AI (270mg) Omega 3s per cup cooked
- 2mg Omega 3 per 1mg Omega 6
- 56 Calories
Nutrition Facts for Brussels Sprouts (Cooked)
More Vegetables High in Omega 3s
-14% AI in 1 cup of chinese broccoli-12% AI in 1 cup of winter squash
-12% AI in 1 cup of broccoli
-11% AI in 1 cup of zucchini
-10% AI in 1 cup of Spinach
-See all vegetables high in omega 3s.
10
Avocados
-10% AI in 1 cup of raspberries
-8% AI in 1 cup of blackberries
-7% AI in 1 cup of strawberries
-5% AI in 1 cup of blueberries
-5% AI in 1 cup of mangoes
-See all fruits high in omega 3s.
- 14% AI (223mg) Omega 3s per avocado
- 7mg Omega 3 per 1mg Omega 6
- 322 Calories
Nutrition Facts for Avocados
More Fruits High in Omega 3s
-12% AI in 1 cup of guavas-10% AI in 1 cup of raspberries
-8% AI in 1 cup of blackberries
-7% AI in 1 cup of strawberries
-5% AI in 1 cup of blueberries
-5% AI in 1 cup of mangoes
-See all fruits high in omega 3s.
See All 200 Foods High in Omega 3s
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Health Benefits of Omega 3 Fatty Acids
- Reduced Risk of Cardiovascular Disease(2)
- Reduced severity of dementia and mental decline(3)
- Alleviation of Arthritis and Inflammation(4)
Problems measuring the amount of Omega 3 Fats
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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From the Nutrient Ranking Tool
- Foods High in Omega 3s
- Foods Low in Omega 3s
- Vegetarian Foods High in Omega 3s
- Fruits High in Omega 3s
- Vegetables High in Omega 3s
- Nuts High in Omega 3s
- Grains High in Omega 3s
- Beans High in Omega 3s
- Breakfast Cereals High in Omega 3s
- Fast Foods High in Omega 3s
View more food groups with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.
Data Sources and References
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28.
- 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
- 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.
- 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
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