Polyunsaturated fats include omega-3 and omega-6, essential fats your body cannot make, and they can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol1.
Omega-3 and omega-6 fats are essential fatty acids the body needs for brain function1.
These essential fatty acids also support cell growth1.
Polyunsaturated fats can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol1.
In trials, replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated vegetable oil was linked with less heart disease34.
Omega-6 fats may help control blood sugar and lower blood pressure1.
| Food and serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Walnuts, 1 oz (14 halves) | 13.4 g |
| Sunflower oil (high linoleic), 1 tbsp | 8.9 g |
| Sunflower seed kernels, ¼ cup | 8.1 g |
| Soybean oil, 1 tbsp | 7.8 g |
| Corn oil, 1 tbsp | 7.4 g |
| Chia seeds, dried, 1 oz | 6.7 g |
| Flaxseed, ground, 1 tbsp | 2.0 g |
| Food and serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Atlantic salmon, farmed, cooked, 3 oz | 3.9 g |
Cook with corn or safflower oil instead of butter, and keep walnut portions small since nuts are high in calories1. Amounts per serving from7.
The same reference table draws the reference lines on your charts in Ayuvo. Needs differ in pregnancy and breastfeeding, which are not covered here.
Signs like these have many possible causes. They are a reason to talk to a clinician, not to self-treat.
Your body cannot make essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6, so they must come from food1.
All fats contain 9 calories per gram, so eating too much fat can lead to weight gain1.
Yes. Both are polyunsaturated fats and essential fatty acids, which means your body cannot make them and they must come from food. Fatty fish, walnuts, seeds and vegetable oils all provide polyunsaturated fat.
Salmon, mackerel, herring, albacore tuna and trout are good sources. Replacing some meat with fish each week is one way to shift toward healthier fats.
The swap matters more than adding. Eliminating saturated fat is about twice as effective at lowering blood cholesterol as simply increasing polyunsaturated fat.
Ayuvo charts polyunsaturated fat by day, week, month and year, with the reference lines from this page, personalised by age and sex where they differ. Supplements you log in Medications count too. Free, with no account.
Or read the code: Ayuvo is open source
Facts on this page come from these sources, checked on the dates shown. Intake numbers come from Ayuvo's shared reference table, which cites the sources marked for them.
General information, not medical advice. This guide is for healthy adults and does not cover pregnancy, breastfeeding, children or medical conditions. It cannot diagnose or treat anything. Talk to a clinician before starting high-dose supplements, or if you think you may have too little or too much of a nutrient. Spotted an error? Email us.