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 ( 1 , 2 ,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.

Mackerel are small, fattyfish.

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% forselenium( 4 ).

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) ( 4 )

Salmon is one of the mostnutrient-dense foodson the planet.

它含有高质量的蛋白质和各种各样的nutrients, including large amounts of vitamin D, selenium, and B vitamins ( 5 , 6 ).

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

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) ( 5 )

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 inomega-3 fatty acidsbut also loaded with vitamins D and A, with a single tablespoon providing 170% and 453% of the RDIs, respectively ( 11 ).

Therefore, taking just one tablespoon ofcod liver oilmore 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 ( 11 )

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 witheggsand called kippers.

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

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

Shellfish are among the most nutritious foods you can eat.

In fact, oysters contain morezincthan 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 ( 13 , 14 ).

Oysterscan 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) ( 13 )

Sardinesare 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 forvitamin B12, 24% for vitamin D, and 96% for selenium ( 15 ).

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

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 andsalad 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 ofcalcium( 16 ).

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) ( 16 )

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 ofcholineand rich source of omega-3 fatty acids ( 17 ).

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

Flax seedsare 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 greatomega-6 to omega-3 ratiocompared with most oily plant seeds ( 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ).

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 ( 18 , 19 )

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

一个标准1盎司(28-gram)份芡欧鼠尾草种子contains 5 grams of protein, including all eightessential amino acids.

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

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

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 ( 23 )

Soybeans are a good source offiberand vegetable protein.

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

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

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) ( 24 )

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

Conversely, sections 9–12 handle foods that provide the omega-3 fat ALA, which isinferior 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, andpurslane.

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

Omega-3s provide numeroushealth 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 takingomega-3 supplements.