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    Ingredient guide · Ingredient reference

    Tilapia has less listed long-chain omega-3 than oily fish

    The NIH table lists 110 milligrams DHA in three ounces of cooked tilapia, alongside 40 milligrams ALA. That is a smaller listed long-chain omega-3 contribution than the same serving size of Atlantic salmon or mackerel.

    Read the evidence ↓

    Supplement Science Insights Editorial Team

    Published September 23, 2026

    Do not combine different omega-3 columns indiscriminately

    The tilapia entry lists 0.11 grams DHA and 0.04 grams ALA, with the EPA field blank. A blank field in this summary should not be converted into a claim of analytically proven zero EPA. [1]

    For comparison, the table lists 1.83 grams EPA plus DHA in three ounces of cooked farmed Atlantic salmon and 1.02 grams in cooked Atlantic mackerel. ALA is a different fatty acid, so it should not be presented as an identical amount of EPA or DHA. [1]

    A lower omega-3 amount is one characteristic of the meal

    FDA/EPA includes tilapia among Best Choices in its mercury guidance. That classification does not mean it has the highest omega-3 concentration; mercury and nutrient composition are different comparisons. [2][1]

    Choose the comparison that matches the question. If the goal is a particular EPA/DHA contribution, identify that contribution directly instead of treating all fish servings as equivalent. [2][1]

    Keep the nutrient name with the number

    Imagine a meal record combines 110 mg DHA and 40 mg ALA into 150 mg EPA plus DHA. The arithmetic adds correctly, but the nutrient label is wrong because ALA is not EPA.

    Key distinctions — Tilapia has less listed long-chain omega-3 than oily fish
    DetailInterpretation
    DHA110 mg in the listed serving
    ALA40 mg, a different fatty acid
    EPA fieldBlank in this summary
    Tilapia has less listed long-chain omega-3 than oily fish — original article outline diagram
    Original editorial diagram of this article’s sections; no product photograph or clinical finding is depicted.

    Sources for this article

    1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Health Professional Fact Sheet
      Source consulted: 2026-09-19. This is a reference resource, not a claim that we conducted the studies or tested a product.
    2. Advice about Eating Fish | FDA
      Source consulted: 2026-09-19. This is a reference resource, not a claim that we conducted the studies or tested a product.