Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA) 1 article

Alpha-Linolenic Acid, abbreviated ALA, is an essential omega-3 fatty acid found primarily in plant foods. Flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, and canola oil are familiar sources, making ALA the major plant-derived counterpart to the long-chain marine omega-3s EPA and DHA. Humans can convert some ALA to longer-chain omega-3 fatty acids, but the conversion is limited, so food and supplement labels should not treat grams of ALA as equivalent to the same amount of EPA or DHA.