Table 3. Sources of omega-3 essential fatty acids.

To consume the minimum daily amount of 1200 mg of omega-3 fatty acids, people can choose a variety of food from the list in this table or take 3-4 fish oil capsules daily.

ALA—alpha-linolenic acid, DHA—docosahexaenoic acid, EPA—eicosapentenoic acid.

*Includes long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, EPA and DHA, and plant-source omega-3 fatty acid, ALA.

^†Flax oil and hemp oil can be mixed into salad dressings and other food. These oils oxidize easily and should never be used for cooking.

^‡Also a good source of vitamins A and D.

^§Fish-oil flavours are milder in capsules, especially if capsules are swallowed cold from the refrigerator.

^||Each designer omega-3 egg has 0.38 g of DHA and EPA (omega-6–to–omega-3 ratio is 1.6:1), 7 times as much vitamin E as, and less cholesterol than, a normal egg.

^¶A Dr Sims designer egg has 0.6 g of DHA and EPA (omega-6–to–omega-3 ratio is 1:1). A normal egg has 0.05 g of DHA and EPA.

Data from Kris-Etherton et al.⁴⁸