Health Reference LibraryFoods high in omega 3: UK portions, EPA and DHA, and the plant gap
This entry is part of the Nutri Tailor Health Reference Library — cited research on supplements, nutrients and adjacent areas of health.
Summary
A portion of mackerel, salmon or sardines supplies 1.5 to 2.5 g of EPA plus DHA, which is why one portion of oily fish a week, the NHS advice, averages out at 250 to 500 mg a day. Canned tuna does not count as oily once processed. Flaxseed, chia and walnuts are rich in ALA, the plant omega 3, but the body converts only a few percent of ALA to EPA and almost none to DHA, so a diet with no fish is low in the marine omega 3s however many seeds it contains. Vegans and people who dislike fish close the gap with algal oil; everyone else with a weekly portion of oily fish.
How it works
How much you absorb matters as much as how much is on the plate. Only oily fish, seafood and algae supply EPA and DHA ready made. Plant foods supply ALA, which the body converts to EPA at a few percent and to DHA at almost none, so a diet with no fish is low in the marine omega 3s however many walnuts it contains. Vegans and anyone who dislikes fish close the gap with algal oil; everyone else closes it with a weekly portion of mackerel, sardines or salmon.
Effective dose
The reference intake is no reference intake; the NHS advises one portion of oily fish a week, about 140 g, which averages 250 to 500 mg of EPA plus DHA a day; the table gives the richest everyday sources, starting with mackerel, cooked at about 2.5 g EPA plus DHA for 100 g and salmon, cooked at about 2 g EPA plus DHA for 100 g. Portion figures in the table are approximate, from the NHS and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements food tables, and vary with variety, season and cooking; they are for planning a day, not for accounting.
Practical framework
Build the day from the table: two or three of the portions above usually reach the reference intake. If food will not close the gap, Nutri Tailor stocks [Omega 3 capsules](/products/omega-3), made in the UK; the dose page linked below says how much. To read your own result against the UK ranges, use the free blood test result interpreter. This is a summary of published research, not personal health advice. Talk to your GP or a registered nutritional therapist before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, have a diagnosed condition or are under ongoing care.
Common misconceptions
That one superfood does it: omega 3 adds up across the day from ordinary foods. That the figure on a packet is what you absorb: absorption depends on the form and the rest of the meal, as above. That a supplement is a substitute for the foods, which carry fibre, protein and other nutrients the capsule does not.
Forms compared
| Food | UK Portion | Omega 3 Per Portion |
|---|---|---|
Sources
- UK NHS. Fish and shellfish — NHS Live Well. NHS UK (UK government).
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Omega-3 Fatty Acids Health Professional Fact Sheet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (US government).