Foods Highest in PUFA 18:3

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Top 50 whole foods per 100g, from USDA Standard Reference and Foundation databases

Oil, flaxseed, cold pressed ranks #1 of 50 for PUFA 18:3, at 53.4G per 100g.

What These PUFA 18:3 Rankings Mean

This ranking surfaces the top 50 whole foods for PUFA 18:3, pulled from USDA Standard Reference Legacy and Foundation databases. Those two sources intentionally exclude branded and processed entries, which keeps the list focused on raw ingredients where nutrient content reflects the food itself rather than fortification or recipe adjustments. There is no established FDA Daily Value for PUFA 18:3, so amounts are reported in absolute terms (G per 100g edible portion).

At the top of the ranking sits Oil, flaxseed, cold pressed, delivering 53.4G per 100g. The top three (Oil, flaxseed, cold pressed, Oil, flaxseed, contains added sliced flaxseed, Seeds, flaxseed) together form a practical "big lever" set, foods where a single serving meaningfully moves daily intake. The visual bars beside each row scale against the top food, so you can see at a glance whether a lower-ranked food is still a strong source or a distant runner-up.

Because this page excludes branded products, it is the right tool for comparing whole-food cooking choices rather than packaged-food shopping decisions, for those, the per-food pages and the branded search tools cover the same nutrient at product level. All values are reported per 100g edible portion, which means the raw numbers can be directly compared but real-world servings differ (a 100g portion of spinach is very different from 100g of almonds by volume). The nutrition guides linked below explain how to translate % DV and per-100g figures into practical daily targets and how to read nutrition labels when comparing whole foods to their processed equivalents.

→ Compare the top three PUFA 18:3 sources side-by-side

# Food Amount % DV
1 Oil, flaxseed, cold pressed 53.4 G -
2 Oil, flaxseed, contains added sliced flaxseed 48.9 G -
3 Seeds, flaxseed 22.8 G -
4 Seeds, chia seeds, dried 17.8 G -
5 Seeds, hemp seed, hulled 10.0 G -
6 Nuts, walnuts, english 9.1 G -
7 Nuts, butternuts, dried 8.7 G -
8 Nuts, walnuts, dry roasted, with salt added 8.5 G -
9 Oil, industrial, canola for salads, woks and light frying 7.6 G -
10 Oil, cooking and salad, ENOVA, 80% diglycerides 7.4 G -
11 Oil, PAM cooking spray, original 7.2 G -
12 Oil, vegetable, soybean, refined 7.0 G -
13 Oil, industrial, soy, refined, for woks and light frying 6.9 G -
14 Oil, wheat germ 6.9 G -
15 Oil, soybean, salad or cooking 6.8 G -
16 Margarine, 80% fat, tub, CANOLA HARVEST Soft Spread (canola, palm and palm kernel oils) 6.8 G -
17 Oil, industrial, canola with antifoaming agent, principal uses salads, woks and light frying 6.4 G -
18 Oil, corn and canola 5.8 G -
19 Salad dressing, mayonnaise, regular 5.5 G -
20 Oil, soybean lecithin 5.1 G -
21 Margarine, regular, 80% fat, composite, tub, with salt, with added vitamin D 5.0 G -
22 Margarine, regular, 80% fat, composite, tub, with salt 5.0 G -
23 Margarine, regular, 80% fat, composite, tub, without salt 5.0 G -
24 Mayonnaise dressing, no cholesterol 5.0 G -
25 Mayonnaise, Regular 4.8 G -
26 Salad dressing, mayonnaise, imitation, soybean without cholesterol 4.6 G -
27 Cereals ready-to-eat, UNCLE SAM CEREAL 4.3 G -
28 Salad dressing, mayonnaise, soybean oil, without salt 4.2 G -
29 Shortening bread, soybean (hydrogenated) and cottonseed 4.0 G -
30 Salad dressing, peppercorn dressing, commercial, regular 3.9 G -
31 Salad dressing, caesar dressing, regular 3.9 G -
32 Oil, industrial, soy (partially hydrogenated ) and soy (winterized), pourable clear fry 3.8 G -
33 Spices, mustard seed, ground 3.8 G -
34 Sauce, horseradish 3.6 G -
35 Margarine-like spread, SMART BALANCE Regular Buttery Spread with flax oil 3.6 G -
36 Salad dressing, ranch dressing, regular 3.4 G -
37 Spices, marjoram, dried 3.2 G -
38 Salad dressing, blue or roquefort cheese dressing, commercial, regular 3.2 G -
39 Shortening, special purpose for baking, soybean (hydrogenated) palm and cottonseed 3.2 G -
40 Salad Dressing, mayonnaise, light, SMART BALANCE, Omega Plus light 3.2 G -
41 Dressing, Ranch 3.1 G -
42 Salad dressing, mayonnaise, soybean and safflower oil, with salt 3.0 G -
43 Oil, industrial, soy, low linolenic 3.0 G -
44 Spices, tarragon, dried 3.0 G -
45 Margarine, margarine-like vegetable oil spread, 67-70% fat, tub 2.9 G -
46 Peanut butter with omega-3, creamy 2.9 G -
47 Margarine-like, vegetable oil spread, stick or tub, sweetened 2.9 G -
48 Salad dressing, french dressing, commercial, regular 2.9 G -
49 Oil, soybean, salad or cooking, (partially hydrogenated) and cottonseed 2.8 G -
50 Spearmint, dried 2.8 G -

Frequently Asked Questions

What food is highest in PUFA 18:3?

Oil, flaxseed, cold pressed is the food highest in PUFA 18:3, with 53.4G per 100g.

How much PUFA 18:3 do I need per day?

There is no established FDA Daily Value for PUFA 18:3. Consult a healthcare professional for guidance on appropriate intake levels.

What are good whole food sources of PUFA 18:3?

Top whole food sources of PUFA 18:3 include Oil, flaxseed, cold pressed, Oil, flaxseed, contains added sliced flaxseed, Seeds, flaxseed, and more. These rankings are based on USDA Standard Reference and Foundation food data, measured per 100g edible portion.

Source: USDA FoodData Central — Standard Reference Legacy and Foundation databases. Branded and processed products are excluded. All values per 100g edible portion.
Source: FDA Daily Value reference — PUFA 18:3 (no established DV) based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
This information is for reference only and should not replace professional dietary advice.

Read our methodology , how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.