Essential Fatty Acid Content of Oil Seeds and Nuts
It is important to note that the values provided here are simply to give you an idea of the oil content of these seeds. Since oil content can and will vary widely due to changes in growing conditions, location of the crops, farmer growing secrets etc. It would be best to use the information below only to try to get a general sense of how much EFAs you are currently getting in your regular diet.
| Seeds | Polyunsaturated | Monounsaturated | Saturated | |||||
| Name | Fat Content in seed (%) | LNA Omega 3 (%) | LA Omega 6 (%) | LNA+LA Omega 3 + 6 (%) | GLA Omega 9 (%) | 18:0 (%) | 16:0 (%) | Total (%) |
| Hemp | 35 | 20 | 60* | 80 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Chia | 30 | 30 | 40 | 70 | – | – | – | – |
| Kukui | 30 | 29 | 40 | 69 | – | – | – | – |
| Flax | 35 | 58 | 14 | 72 | 19 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| Pumpkin | 46.7 | 0-15 | 42-57 | 57 | 34 | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| Soy Bean | 17.7 | 7 | 50 | 57 | 26 | 6 | 9 | 15 |
| Walnut | 60 | 5 | 51 | 56 | 28 | 5 | 11 | 16 |
| Wheat germ | 10.9 | 5 | 50 | 55 | 25 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| Evening Primrose | 17 | – | 81** | 81 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Safflower | 59.5 | – | 75 | 75 | 13 | 12 | – | 12 |
| Sunflower | 47.3 | – | 65 | 65 | 23 | 12 | – | 12 |
| Grape | 20 | – | 71 | 71 | 17 | 12 | – | 12 |
| Corn | 4 | – | 59 | 59 | 24 | 17 | – | 17 |
| Sesame | 49.1 | – | 45 | 45 | 42 | 13 | – | 13 |
| Rice bran | 10 | 1 | 35 | 36 | 48 | 17 | – | 17 |
| Cottonseed | 40 | – | 50 | 50 | 21 | 25 | – | 25 |
| Rape (canola) | 30 | 7 | 30 | 37 | 54*** | 7 | – | 7 |
| Peanut | 47.5 | – | 29 | 29 | 47 | 18 | – | 18 |
| Almond | 54.2 | – | 17 | 17 | 78 | 5 | – | 5 |
| Olive | 20 | – | 8 | 8 | 75 | 16 | – | 16 |
| Avocado | 12 | – | 10 | 10 | 70 | 20 | – | 20 |
| Coconut | 35.3 | – | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 91 | 91 |
| Palm kernel | 35.3 | – | 2 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 85 | 85 |
| Beech | 50 | – | 32 | 32 | 54 | 8 | – | 8 |
| Brazil | 66.9 | – | 24 | 24 | 48 | 24 | – | 24 |
| Pecan | 71.2 | – | 20 | 20 | 63 | 7 | – | 7 |
| Pistachio | 53.7 | – | 19 | 19 | 65 | 9 | – | 9 |
| Hickory | 68.7 | – | 17 | 17 | 68 | 9 | – | 9 |
| Filbert/Hazelnut | 62.4 | – | 16 | 16 | 54 | 5 | – | 5 |
| Macadamia | 71.6 | – | 10 | 10 | 71 | 12 | – | 12 |
| Cashew | 41.7 | – | 6 | 6 | 70 | 18 | – | 18 |
| Neem | 40 | 1 | 20 | 21 | 41 | 20 | – | 20 |
* Includes up to 2% GLA – Gamma Linolenic Acid
** Includes 9% GLA
*** Includes up to 5% erucic acid