Skip to content
DE
Fatty acid

Omega Fatty Acids

Omega fatty acids is an umbrella term for unsaturated fatty acids grouped by the position of their first double bond, such as omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9.

FertilityHair & SkinCardiovascularBone & JointLongevity

What do ordinary portions provide?

Plant foods mainly provide ALA, while fish provides EPA and DHA. These NIH values show why the names should be kept separate rather than added into one interchangeable omega number. 1

Walnuts

2.57 g ALA1 ozEnglish walnuts. 1

Flaxseed oil

7.26 g ALA1 tablespoonA concentrated plant source of ALA. 1

Atlantic salmon, farmed and cooked

1.24 g DHA; 0.59 g EPA3 ozValues refer to the cooked fish. 1

How much is enough?

US adequate intakes for ALA are 1.6 g daily for adult men and 1.1 g for adult women. DGE expresses adult targets differently: 2.5% of dietary energy from linoleic acid and an estimated 0.5% from ALA. These are nutrition reference values, not supplement treatment doses. 1 2

DGE advises an average of at least 200 mg DHA daily during pregnancy and breastfeeding. That nutritional target should not be confused with the high doses used for triglycerides or blood pressure. 1 2

Sources