Table 2.

Summary of LA, ALA, DHA, and EPA concentrations (% of total FA), LA: ALA ratios, and n-6:n-3 FA ratios in common oil and fat ingredients

	LA	ALA	LA:ALA	AA	DHA	EPA	n-6:n-31
Vegetable oils 2
Camelina oil3	19.8	35.4	0.56	—	—	—	0.53
Canola oil3	18.6	9.14	2.04	—	—	—	1.89
Coconut oil2	1.68	0.02	88.4	—	—	—	88.4
Corn oil2	53.2	1.16	45.9	—	—	—	45.9
Cottonseed oil2	51.4	0.20	257	—	—	—	257
Flaxseed oil, cold pressed2	14.3	53.4	0.27	—	—	—	0.27
Olive oil2	9.76	0.76	12.8	—	—	—	12.8
Palm kernel oil2	1.60	—	>16	—	—	—	>16
Palm oil2	9.10	0.20	45.5	—	—	—	45.5
Peanut oil2	32.0	—	>320	—	—	—	>320
Safflower oil (LA 70%)2	74.1	0.40	185	—	—	—	185
Sesame oil2	41.3	0.30	138	—	—	—	138
Soybean oil2	50.3	6.54	7.69	—	—	—	7.69
Sunflower oil2	65.7	—	>657	—	—	—	>657
Sunflower oil (70% high oleic acid)2	3.61	0.19	18.8	—	—	—	18.8
Animal fats 4
Beef tallow2	3.10	0.60	5.17	—	—	—	5.17
Bacon grease2	10.1	1.00	10.2	—	—	—	10.2
Lard2	10.2	1.00	10.2	—	—	—	10.2
Poultry fat4	19.5	1.00	19.5	—	—	—	19.5
Marine oils
Fish oil herring5	1.10	0.80	1.38	0.30	4.90	8.40	0.10
Fish oil menhaden5	1.30	0.30	4.33	0.20	9.10	11.0	0.07
Fish oil salmon (sea caught)5	1.20	0.60	2.00	0.90	13.8	12.0	0.08
Krill oil6	1.67	3.38	0.49	0.20	12.5	19.3	0.05
Algal oil6	2.59	0.25	10.4	0.15	51.3	1.03	0.05

¹n-6:n-3 = (LA + AA):(ALA + EPA + DHA).

²Fatty acid profiles sourced from USDA (2023a).

³Fatty acid profiles sourced from Burron et al. (2021).

⁴Although neither the USDA or NRC list AA in the nutrient profiles of the animal fats listed in this table, animal fats have been established as a source of AA (Li et al., 1998).

⁵Fatty acid profiles sourced from NRC (2006a).

⁶Fatty acid profiles sourced from Fuller et al. (2020).

⁷Fatty acid profiles sourced from Świątkiewicz et al. (2020).