Essential Fatty Acids

These instructions are for patients to learn how to increase essential fatty acids (EFA) in the diet

Important Information:

• Everybody needs fat to be healthy. The body makes some fats, and other fats come from foods.

• Essential fatty acids (EFA) are fats the body cannot make on its own, so they must come from food.

• EFA come from both Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acid containing foods. Usually, Americans eat too many Omega 6 foods with very few Omega 3 foods in their diets.

Instructions for eating fatty acids:

• It is important to eat a balance of Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acid sources.

• Avoid cooking with soybean or corn oil.

• Avoid hydrogenated and trans oils/fats.

See below for examples of excellent and good sources of healthy fats to include in the diet.

Excellent sources of essential fatty acids include:

Omega 6 foods

• Pine nuts

• Pistachio nuts

• Sesame seeds

• Pumpkin seeds

• Soybeans

• Sunflower seeds

• Almonds

• Brazil nuts

• Tofu

• Nut "butters"

 Omega 3 foods

• 12 ounces per week of fatty fish, such as salmon, lake trout, anchovies, sardines, mackerel.

  • Avoid shark, swordfish, and orange roughy

• Walnuts

• Flaxseeds

Good sources of essential fatty acids include:

Omega 6 foods

• Chicken

• Egg yolk

• Walnuts

• Safflower oil

• Sunflower oil

• Canola oil

• Walnut oil

• Mayonnaise

• Salad dressing (with above oils as main ingredient)

• Avocado

 Omega 3 foods

• Flaxseed oil

• Canola oil

• Walnut oil

• Wheat germ oil

• Pumpkin seeds

Menu ideas high in essential fatty acids:

Breakfast

• Hot or cold cereal sprinkled with wheat germ

• Omelet with smoked salmon

• Whole grain (includes flax seeds) toast with sunflower seed butter

Lunch or Dinner

• Chicken salad made with grapes, walnuts, and canola oil mayonnaise

• Salmon cake sandwich with pesto (basil, pine nuts, olive oil and parmesan cheese)

• Tofu stir fry

• Egg or tuna salad sandwich

Snacks

• Trail mix made with the nuts and seeds listed above

• Whole grain chips (includes flax seeds) with guacamole

Reviewed July 2025 by Melanie Savoca, RD, Janel Steinhoff, RD