12 Foods That Are Very High in Omega-3

 Website content extracted from: 12 Foods That Are Very High in Omega-3 (healthline.com)

Omega-3 fatty acids have various benefits for your body and brain.

Many mainstream health organizations recommend a minimum of 250–500 mg of omega-3s per day for healthy adults (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3).

You can get high amounts of omega-3 fats from fatty fish, algae, and several high-fat plant foods.

Here is a list of 12 foods that are very high in omega-3.

1. Mackerel (4,107 mg per serving)

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Mackerel are small, fatty fish.

In Western countries, they are commonly smoked and eaten as whole fillets.

Mackerel are incredibly rich in nutrients — a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving packs 200% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for vitamin B12 and 100% for selenium (4Trusted Source).

What’s more, these fish are delicious and require little preparation.

Omega-3 content: 4,107 mg in one piece of salted mackerel, or 5,134 mg per 3.5 ounces (100 grams) (4Trusted Source)

2. Salmon (4,123 mg per serving)

Salmon is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.

It contains high-quality protein and a variety of nutrients, including large amounts of vitamin D, selenium, and B vitamins (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).

Studies show that people who regularly eat fatty fish, such as salmon, have a lower risk of diseases like heart disease, dementia, and depression (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).

Omega-3 content: 4,123 mg in half a fillet of cooked, farmed Atlantic salmon, or 2,260 mg in 3.5 ounces (100 grams) (5Trusted Source)

3. Cod liver oil (2,682 mg per serving)

Cod liver oil is more of a supplement than a food.

As the name implies, it is oil extracted from the livers of codfish.

This oil is not only high in omega-3 fatty acids but also loaded with vitamins D and A, with a single tablespoon providing 170% and 453% of the RDIs, respectively (11Trusted Source).

Therefore, taking just one tablespoon of cod liver oil more than satisfies your need for three incredibly important nutrients.

However, don’t take more than one tablespoon at a time, as too much vitamin A can be harmful.

Omega-3 content: 2,682 mg per tablespoon (11Trusted Source)

4. Herring (946 mg per serving)

Herring is a medium-sized, oily fish. It is often cold-smoked, pickled, or precooked, then sold as a canned snack.

Smoked herring is a popular breakfast food in countries like England, where it’s served with eggs and called kippers.

A standard smoked fillet contains almost 100% of the RDI for vitamin D and selenium and 221% of the RDI for vitamin B12 (12Trusted Source).

Omega-3 content: 946 mg per medium fillet (40 grams) of kippered Atlantic herring, or 2,366 mg per 3.5 ounces (100 grams) (12Trusted Source)

5. Oysters (370 mg per serving)

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Shellfish are among the most nutritious foods you can eat.

In fact, oysters contain more zinc than any other food on the planet. Just 6 raw eastern oysters (3 ounces or 85 grams) pack 293% of the RDI for zinc, 70% for copper, and 575% for vitamin B12 (13Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source).

Oysters can be eaten as an appetizer, snack, or whole meal. Raw oysters are a delicacy in many countries.

Omega-3 content: 370 mg in 6 raw, eastern oysters, or 435 mg per 3.5 ounces (100 grams) (13Trusted Source)

6. Sardines (2,205 mg per serving)

Sardines are very small, oily fish that are commonly eaten as a starter, snack, or delicacy.

They’re highly nutritious, especially when eaten whole. They contain almost every nutrient your body needs.

3.5 ounces (100 grams) of drained sardines provide over 200% of the RDI for vitamin B12, 24% for vitamin D, and 96% for selenium (15Trusted Source).

Omega-3 content: 2,205 mg per cup (149 grams) of canned Atlantic sardines, or 1,480 mg per 3.5 ounces (100 grams) (15Trusted Source)

7. Anchovies (951 mg per serving)

Anchovies are tiny, oily fish often bought dried or canned.

Usually eaten in very small portions, anchovies can be rolled around capers, stuffed in olives, or used as pizza and salad toppings.

Because of their strong taste, they are also used to flavor many dishes and sauces, including Worcestershire sauce, remoulade, and Caesar dressing.

Anchovies are a great source of niacin and selenium, and boned anchovies are a decent source of calcium (16Trusted Source).

Omega-3 content: 951 mg per can (2 ounces, or 45 grams) of canned European anchovies, or 2,113 mg per 3.5 ounces (100 grams) (16Trusted Source)

8. Caviar (1,086 mg per serving)

Caviar consists of fish eggs, or roe.

Widely regarded as a luxurious food item, caviar is most often used in small quantities as a starter, taster, or garnish.

Caviar is a good source of choline and rich source of omega-3 fatty acids (17Trusted Source).

Omega-3 content: 1,086 mg per tablespoon (14.3 grams), or 6,786 mg per 3.5 ounces (100 grams) (17Trusted Source)

9. Flax seeds (2,350 mg per serving)

Flax seeds are small brown or yellow seeds. They are often ground, milled, or used to make oil.

These seeds are by far the richest whole-food source of the omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Therefore, flaxseed oil is often used as an omega-3 supplement.

Flax seeds are also a good source of in fiber, magnesium, and other nutrients. They have a great omega-6 to omega-3 ratio compared with most oily plant seeds (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source).

Omega-3 content: 2,350 mg per tablespoon (10.3 grams) of whole seeds, or 7,260 mg per tablespoon (13.6 grams) of oil (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source)

10. Chia seeds (5,060 mg per serving)

Chia seeds are incredibly nutritious — they’re rich in manganese, selenium, magnesium, and a few other nutrients (22Trusted Source).

A standard 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of chia seeds contains 5 grams of protein, including all eight essential amino acids.

Omega-3 content: 5,060 mg per ounce (28 grams) (22Trusted Source)

11. Walnuts (2,570 mg per serving)

Walnuts are very nutritious and loaded with fiber. They also contain high amounts of copper, manganese, vitamin E, as well as important plant compounds (23Trusted Source).

Make sure not to remove the skin, as it packs most of walnuts’ phenol antioxidants, which offer important health benefits.

Omega-3 content: 2,570 mg per ounce (28 grams), or about 14 walnut halves (23Trusted Source)

12. Soybeans (1,241 mg per serving)

Soybeans are a good source of fiber and vegetable protein.

They are also a good source of other nutrients, including riboflavin, folate, vitamin K, magnesium, and potassium (24Trusted Source).

However, soybeans are also very high in omega-6 fatty acids. Researchers have hypothesized that eating too much omega-6 may cause inflammation (25Trusted Source).

Omega-3 content: 670 mg in a 1/2 cup (47 grams) of dry roasted soybeans, or 1,443 mg per 3.5 ounces (100 grams) (24Trusted Source)

13. Other Foods?

Keep in mind that sections 1–8 discuss foods that contain the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, which are found in some animal foods, seafood, and algae.

Conversely, sections 9–12 handle foods that provide the omega-3 fat ALA, which is inferior to the other two.

Although not as high in omega-3 as the foods above, many other foods contain decent amounts.

These include pastured eggs, omega-3-enriched eggs, meats and dairy products from grass-fed animals, hemp seeds, and vegetables like spinach, Brussels sprouts, and purslane.

The bottom line

As you can see, it’s relatively easy to obtain plenty of omega-3s from whole foods.

Omega-3s provide numerous health benefits, such as fighting inflammation and heart disease.

However, if you don’t eat many of these foods and think you may be lacking in omega-3s, consider taking omega-3 supplements.