Table 1.
Content of n-6 LA and n-3 α LNA in commercially available edible oils
| Cooking oil | LA (g per 100 g of cooking oil) | α LNA (g per 100 g of cooking oil) |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetable oil* | Depends on specific oil | Depends on specific oil |
| Safflower† | 74.6 | 0.0 |
| Sunflower† | 65.7 | 0.0 |
| Cottonseed | 51.5 | 0.0 |
| Corn | 53.5 | 0.2 |
| Soybean | 50.3 | 7.0 |
| Canola | 18.6 | 9.1 |
| Olive | 9.8 | 0.8 |
| Butter oil | 2.3 | 1.4 |
| Coconut | 1.8 | 0.0 |
n-6 LA=omega 6 linoleic acid; n-3 α LNA=omega 3 α linolenic acid. Fatty acid contents of oils vary to some extent by season, latitude, and other conditions. USDA National Nutrient Database numbers: safflower 04510, sunflower 04510, cottonseed 04502, corn 04518, soybean 04669, canola 04582, olive 04053, butter 01003, coconut 04047.9
*Food items labeled “vegetable oil” may contain one or more of the above oils.
†Varieties of safflower and sunflower oils with lower LA content are commercially available.