Guide
Foods with omega-3: where EPA, DHA and ALA actually come from
Fatty fish are the richest source of EPA and DHA; plant foods provide a different omega-3 (ALA) that converts to EPA and DHA only in small amounts. Where our labeled serving sits next to both.
Fatty fish — salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, anchovies and trout — are the richest food sources of EPA and DHA, the two long-chain omega-3s in fish oil. Plant foods like flaxseed, chia and walnuts provide a different omega-3, ALA, which the body converts to EPA and DHA only in small amounts. A fish oil supplement is a way to get a set amount of EPA and DHA without eating fish.
Foods with EPA and DHA (the marine omega-3s)
Per USDA FoodData Central, a 3-ounce cooked serving of fatty fish generally runs from several hundred to a couple thousand milligrams of combined EPA and DHA, depending on species, whether it's farmed or wild, and how it's prepared:
| Food | Roughly |
|---|---|
| Mackerel | 1,800–2,600 mg |
| Herring | 1,700–2,000 mg |
| Salmon (farmed or wild) | 1,000–1,900 mg |
| Sardines | 800–1,400 mg |
| Anchovies | 900–1,700 mg |
| Trout | 800–1,000 mg |
| Oysters | 300–700 mg |
| Halibut | 400–600 mg |
| Canned light tuna | 150–300 mg |
| Shrimp | 250–300 mg |
| Cod (lean whitefish) | 150–250 mg |
For comparison, one softgel of Electric Tiger Omega-3 provides 300 mg of combined EPA and DHA (180 mg EPA + 120 mg DHA) from 1,000 mg of fish oil concentrate — roughly in the range of a 3-ounce serving of a leaner fish like tuna or shrimp, well below a serving of mackerel or salmon.
Foods with ALA (the plant-based omega-3)
ALA is a different omega-3 fat, found in plant oils and seeds rather than fish. The body can convert some ALA into EPA and then DHA, but that conversion is limited (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements), so ALA-rich foods aren't a direct substitute for a fish oil serving's EPA and DHA.
- Ground flaxseed — roughly 1,600 mg ALA per tablespoon
- Chia seeds — roughly 1,700–1,900 mg ALA per tablespoon
- Walnuts — roughly 2,500 mg ALA per ounce (about 14 halves)
- Canola oil — roughly 1,300 mg ALA per tablespoon
- Soybean oil — roughly 900 mg ALA per tablespoon
What about omega-3, -6 and -9 together?
"Omega 3-6-9" blends combine EPA/DHA or ALA with omega-6 (linoleic acid, common in vegetable oils) and omega-9 (oleic acid, common in olive oil). Omega-6 and omega-9 aren't the same category as omega-3 and aren't lacking in a typical American diet the way EPA and DHA can be — most people already get plenty of omega-6 from cooking oils. Our label is fish oil only: 180 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA per softgel, with no added omega-6 or omega-9 oils.
Should you take fish oil with food?
A small trial measuring absorption after a single dose found that eating fish oil alongside a high-fat meal (44 g of fat) raised EPA absorption from the natural triglyceride form of the oil from 69% to 90%, compared with a lower-fat meal; absorption of both EPA and DHA from the more processed ethyl ester form roughly tripled with the higher-fat meal. That's a single-dose measurement in male volunteers, not a trial of our specific label, but it's consistent with why fish oil labels — including ours, which directs one softgel twice daily with meals — commonly suggest taking it alongside food rather than on an empty stomach.
Getting your amount from food alone vs. a supplement
Two 3-ounce servings a week of a fattier fish like salmon or mackerel can supply more combined EPA and DHA than our labeled two-softgel daily amount (600 mg). A supplement's advantage is consistency — a fixed, known amount every day — rather than a fish serving's variable content. Neither is inherently "better"; it depends on how much fish you actually eat and whether you want a fixed number to plan around. Our bottle is as low as $16.78 on subscription (about $0.34 a day at the labeled two-softgel amount).
Questions people ask
What foods have omega-3 fatty acids?
Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, anchovies, trout) are the richest sources of EPA and DHA. Flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts and canola oil are the main sources of ALA, a different, plant-based omega-3 the body converts to EPA and DHA only in small amounts.
How can I get more omega-3 in my diet?
Eating fatty fish once or twice a week is the most direct way to raise EPA and DHA intake from food. Adding ground flaxseed, chia seeds or walnuts raises ALA intake, which is a different omega-3 with limited conversion to EPA and DHA. A fish oil supplement is the option that doesn't depend on eating fish at all.
What food has the most omega-3?
Among common foods, fattier cold-water fish — mackerel, herring, salmon and sardines — tend to top the list for combined EPA and DHA per serving (USDA FoodData Central). Among plant foods, flaxseed and chia seeds are the most concentrated ALA sources, though ALA isn't the same fat as EPA or DHA.
Should you take omega-3 with or without food?
The absorption research above found fish oil absorbed better alongside a higher-fat meal than a lower-fat one, more so for the ethyl ester form of the oil. Taking it with a meal — as our label directs — is the more evidence-backed choice over taking it on an empty stomach.
Do dog and cat foods with fish oil work the same way?
That's outside what we can speak to — the research and label here is about a human dietary supplement. Ask a veterinarian about omega-3 sources formulated and dosed for a pet.
Sources
- Lawson LD, Hughes BG. Absorption of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid from fish oil triacylglycerols or fish oil ethyl esters co-ingested with a high-fat meal. PMID 2847723.
- USDA FoodData Central: fdc.nal.usda.gov.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Omega-3 Fatty Acids fact sheet.
- Electric Tiger Omega-3 Supplement Facts: product page.
Related reading: what is fish oil, how much fish oil should you take a day, and fish oil without fillers: reading the other ingredients.
Sources
- Absorption of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid from fish oil triacylglycerols or fish oil ethyl esters co-ingested with a high-fat meal A small 1988 trial found that eating fish oil with a high-fat meal raised EPA absorption from the natural triglyceride form from 69% to 90%, and roughly tripled absorption of both EPA and DHA from the more processed ethyl ester form, compared with a lower-fat meal.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
