| category | epa, mg/day | dha, mg/day | ala, g/day | notes |
|---------------------|--------------|--------------|-------------|-------|
| general health | ~250 | ~250 | women: 1.1, men: 1.6 | minimum for adults to support cardiovascular and brain health |
| longevity | ~500 | ~500 | women: 1.1, men: 1.6 | longevity, cognition, and reduced inflammation |
| therapeutic | 1000 | 1000 | women: 1.1 | for high triglycerides, mood disorders, chronic inflammation under medical supervision|
| |
food sources
| food / source | ala, mg | epa, mg | dha, mg | total, mg | notes |
|---------------|----------|----------|----------|----------------------|-------|
| flaxseed, 10 g | ~2300 | 0 | 0 | ~2300 | top concentrated plant source |
| chia seeds, 10 g | ~1750 | 0 | 0 | ~1750 | excellent |
| perilla oil, 10 g | ~9000 | 0 | 0 | ~9000 | oil, very high |
| hemp seeds, 10 g | ~2000 | 0 | 0 | ~2000 | balanced omega-6:3 ratio |
| walnut, 100 g | ~2500 | 0 | 0 | ~2500 | also rich in polyphenols |
| sacha inchi seeds, 100 g | ~7000 | 0 | 0 | ~7000 | tropical nut, very rich |
| fresh purslane, 100 g | ~350 | 0 | 0 | ~350 | top leafy green source |
| diplazium fronds, 100 g | ~300| 0 | 0 | ~300 | available in southeast asia |
| amaranth leaves, 100 g | ~250 | 0 | 0 | ~250 | common leafy green |
| spinach, 100 g | ~150 | 0 | 0 | ~150 | modest |
| salmon, 100 g | ~0 | ~500 | ~1700 | ~2200 | very rich in dha |
| mackerel, 100 g | ~0 | ~400 | ~700 | ~1100 | one of the top fish sources |
| sardines, 100 g | ~0 | ~500 | ~900 | ~1400 | small fish, lower mercury |
| trout, 100 g | ~0 | ~150 | ~600 | ~750 | cold-water freshwater fish |
| schizochytrium , 1 g | ~0 | ~10 | ~300 | ~300 | dominant dha producer, 40–50% of lipids as dha |
| aurantiochytrium, 1 g | ~0 | ~5 | ~300 | ~300 | similar to schizochytrium, high dha |
| nannochloropsis, 1 g | ~0 | ~30 | ~0 | ~30 | very rich in epa, no dha |
conclusion
for health and longevity, prioritize marine or algal sources of epa and dha, while using plant foods for ala. evolutionarily, our brains and eyes expanded in coastal and riverine environments where fish and shellfish provided a steady stream of these epa/dha fats. so epa/dha from plankton → small fish → larger fish → humans, shaped our cognitive evolution and longevity.
eating 2–3 servings of fatty fish per week, or taking high-quality algal/fish oil supplements, ensures optimal intake
omega-3 are not just nutrients — they’re long-term investments in vitality, resilience, and extended healthy lifespan