Top 10 Foods Highest in Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Written by Daisy Whitbread, MScN
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

Flax Seeds 1 Flax Seeds
  • 405% AI (6479mg) Omega 3s per oz
  • 534% AI (8544mg) per 200 calorie serving
  • 1426% AI (22813mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
  • 4mg Omega 3 per 1mg Omega 6
See all nuts and seeds high in omega 3s.

Nutrition Facts for Flax Seeds.
Chia Seeds 2 Chia Seeds
  • 316% AI (5064mg) Omega 3s per oz (~2 tblsp)
  • 459% AI (7337mg) per 200 calorie serving
  • 1114% AI (17830mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
  • 3mg Omega 3 per 1mg Omega 6
-165% AI in 1 oz of hemp seeds

Nutrition Facts for Chia Seeds.
Salmon Fillets 3 Fish (Salmon)
  • 266% AI (4252mg) Omega 3s per 6oz fillet
  • 152% AI (2428mg) per 200 calorie serving
  • 156% AI (2501mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
  • 4mg Omega 3 per 1mg Omega 6

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.

Nutrition Facts for Farmed Atlantic Salmon.
Walnuts 4 Walnuts
  • 161% AI (2579mg) Omega 3s per oz
  • 174% AI (2777mg) per 200 calorie serving
  • 568% AI (9080mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
  • 1mg Omega 3 per 4mg Omega 6

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.

Nutrition Facts for Walnuts.
A block of tofu 5 Tofu
  • 92% AI (1467mg) Omega 3s per cup
  • 51% AI (808mg) per 200 calorie serving
  • 36% AI (582mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
  • 1mg Omega 3 per 7mg Omega 6

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

Nutrition Facts for Firm Tofu (Raw).
Oysters on a plate 6 Shellfish (Oysters, Mussels, Clams)
  • 84% AI (1346mg) Omega 3s per 3oz serving
  • 121% AI (1944mg) per 200 calorie serving
  • 99% AI (1584mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
  • 25mg Omega 3 per 1mg Omega 6

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.

Nutrition Facts for Mollusks oyster Pacific cooked moist heat.
A bottle of vegetable oil 7 Canola Oil
  • 80% AI (1279mg) Omega 3s per tblsp
  • 129% AI (2067mg) per 200 calorie serving
  • 571% AI (9137mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
  • 1mg Omega 3 per 2mg Omega 6

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

Nutrition Facts for Canola Oil.
Navy Beans 8 Navy Beans
  • 20% AI (322mg) Omega 3s per cup
  • 16% AI (253mg) per 200 calorie serving
  • 11% AI (177mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
  • This food has no Omega 6 fats.

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

Nutrition Facts for Navy Beans.
Brussels Sprouts 9 Brussels Sprouts
  • 17% AI (270mg) Omega 3s per cup cooked
  • 60% AI (961mg) per 200 calorie serving
  • 11% AI (173mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
  • 2mg Omega 3 per 1mg Omega 6

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.

Nutrition Facts for Brussels Sprouts (Cooked).
Half an avocado 10 Avocados
  • 14% AI (223mg) Omega 3s per avocado
  • 9% AI (139mg) per 200 calorie serving
  • 7% AI (111mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
  • 7mg Omega 3 per 1mg Omega 6

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.

Nutrition Facts for Avocados.

See All 200 Foods High in Omega 3s

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Health Benefits of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

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

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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Data Sources and References

  1. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28.
  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


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