8 Foods Packed With Fatty Acids
- Fish contain high amounts of omega-3s — especially salmon, mackerel, anchovies, and trout.
- Oils like cod liver, canola, flaxseed, and soybean are also rich sources of omega-3 fats.
- Vegetarians can opt for omega-3-rich options like soybeans, chia seeds, and walnuts.
- Visit Insider’s Health Reference library for more advice.
Omega-3 fats are packed with benefits for your health. They can:
- Promote heart health: Omega-3s can reduce the risk of blood clots and lower the number of fats in the blood called triglycerides.
- Benefit your cells: “Omega-3s are critical for healthy cells, making up part of the membranes that surround every cell in your body,” says Karen Ansel, MS, a registered dietician in private practice.
- Promote healthy pregnancy: Omega-3s fats are important for the growth and development of fetuses in the womb.
Experts recommend that per day:
- Adult men should get around 1.6 grams of omega-3 fats
- Adult women should get 1.1 grams of omega-3 fats
To get enough omega-3s, you’ll need to eat key foods like fatty fish and flaxseed oil.
Here are nine foods that contain omega-3 fats and how each can affect your health.
1. Salmon
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Salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3 fats you can add to your diet. This is because “salmon feed on algae and plankton, which are rich sources of omega-3s,” says Charlotte Martin, MS, a registered dietician with a private practice.
A three-ounce serving of wild salmon contains about 1.8 grams of omega-3 fats.
2. Small fatty fish
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“Fish is hands down the best way to work more omega-3s into your diet,” Ansel says. In particular, small fish with high fat and oil content tend to be rich in omega-3s.
Some of the best fish sources of omega-3s include:
- Mackerel: 2.5 grams per three-ounce serving
- Herring: between 1.3 and 2 grams per serving
- Anchovies: 1.4 grams per serving
- Sardines: 1.2 grams per serving
- Lake trout: 2 grams per serving
The American Heart Association recommends eating two three-ounce servings of fatty fish per week, as it can be protective against heart disease. This includes canned fish, which generally provide as much omega-3 as fresh fish.
3. Cod liver oil
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Cod liver oil is a type of fish oil supplement that offers a great source of omega-3 fats. One teaspoon of cod liver oil contains about 0.9 grams of omega-3 fatty acids.
Along with omega-3 fats, cod liver oil is also rich in fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin D, says Julie Stefanski, a registered dietician and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
But while cod liver oil can be good for your health, it’s important not to take too much — adults can take about one tablespoon per day.
This is because when you’re taking cod liver oil, “you’re exposing your body to an amount of preformed vitamin A that you wouldn’t encounter naturally,” Stefanski says. Your body absorbs preformed vitamin A more easily than other forms of vitamin A, so it’s easier to accidentally take a toxic amount.
Over time, taking too much vitamin A can lead to bone thinning, skin irritation, and liver damage.
4. Oysters
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“Oysters are slightly lower in omega-3 fatty acids than salmon, anchovies, and sardines, but are still a very rich source,” Stefanski says.
A three-ounce serving of oysters contains about 0.7 grams of omega-3 fats.
Oysters also provide several essential nutrients like
, vitamin B12, and copper, along with plenty of lean protein.
5. Soybeans
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Soybeans provide a type of omega-3 fat called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) that is found naturally in plants. One 100-gram serving of soybeans contains about 1.4 grams of ALA fatty acids.
ALA fats are harder for your body to absorb than the other omega-3 fats eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are found in fish. For this reason, fish are generally a more potent source of omega-3 fats than plants.
But if you’re vegetarian or don’t eat fish, soybeans are a good option to provide omega-3s, along with other nutrients like protein. “Soy products are one of the best plant protein sources for those following a plant-based diet,” Martin says.
6. Chia seeds
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Chia seeds are very high in ALA omega-3 fatty acids and are one of the best plant-based sources. A one-ounce serving of chia seeds contains about five grams of omega-3 fats.
Chia seeds are also incredibly rich in fiber, offering nearly ten grams in a one-ounce serving. They also provide key minerals including calcium, iron,
, and zinc.
7. Plant oils
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“Plant oils do provide small amounts of omega 3s, but not nearly the amount that you’d get from fatty fish,” Ansel says.
But some oils are a better source than others — “for example, flaxseed oil contains six times the amount of omega-3s of canola oil and eight times the amount in soybean oil,” Ansel says.
On average, the most common plant oils contain:
- Flaxseed oil: 7.3 grams of ALA per tablespoon
- Canola oil: 1.2 grams per tablespoon
- Soybean oil: 0.9 grams per tablespoon
8. Walnuts
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Walnuts are another good source of ALA omega-3 fats — a one-ounce serving of walnuts contains about 2.6 grams.
Walnuts are also rich in many other vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. The same one-ounce serving contains about two grams of fiber, along with plenty of zinc, copper, and manganese.
Insider’s takeaway
Omega-3 fatty acids are an important part of your diet, offering key heart health benefits. The best sources of omega-3s are seafood, including oysters and small, fatty fish. But if you’re vegetarian, plant oils, walnuts, and chia seeds are good options to get your daily dose of omega-3 fats.
