Smeets & Graas logo
  • Home
  • >
  • Alpha Linolenic Acid
  • >

Alpha Linolenic Acid

9 Best Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA) Supplements

Viridian - Vegan EPA & DHA 30 ml of oil
Vegan EPA & DHA
32,95
Viridian
  • Only vegetable sources: algae and chia seed
  • Cold pressed in the absence of oxygen
Solgar - Flaxseed Oil 1250 mg 100 gelatin softgels
Flaxseed Oil 1250 mg
27,75
Solgar
  • Contains 520 mg of vegetable alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) per softgel
  • Cold pressed
Viridian - Organic Hemp Seed Oil 200 ml of oil
Organic Hemp Seed Oil
19,30
Viridian
  • Cold pressed in the absence of oxygen
  • Can be used in smoothies or over salads
Viridian - Organic Golden Flaxseed Oil 200 ml of oil
Organic Golden Flaxseed Oil
15,40
Viridian
  • Most superior quality
  • Cold pressed in the absence of oxygen
Arctic Blue - Omega-3-6-9 Liquid Algen-Hennepzaadolie 150 ml of oil
Omega-3-6-9 Liquid Algen-Hennepzaadolie
32,95
Arctic Blue
  • Combination of algae oil and hemp seed oil
  • 375 mg EPA, 75 mg DHA and 350 mg ALA per daily dose (2,5 ml)
AOV - Omega 3 Vegan - 720 60 vegetarian softgels
Omega 3 Vegan - 720
34,50
AOV
  • Echium, algae and linseed oil
  • Vegetable source of omega-3 fatty acids
Viridian - Organic Omega 3:6:9 200 ml of oil
Organic Omega 3:6:9
18,15
Viridian
  • From 1st cold pressing, solvent free
  • Processed under nitrogen blanket
Viridian - Pregnancy Omega Oil 200 ml of oil
Pregnancy Omega Oil
24,95
Viridian
  • Formula for women
  • Contains a blend of omega-3, -6, and -9

Buy your alpha linolenic acid supplements here. Flaxseed oil, perilla oil and hemp seed oil are the best sources of Alpha-Linolenic Acid. Or first read more about Alpha-Linolenic Acid below.

Alpha-Linolenic Acid Supplement

What is Alpha-linolenic acid?

Alpha-linolenic acid is an omega-3 fatty acid, in short it's called ALA. Alpha-linolenic acid is found mainly in plant foods, unlike the two better-known omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which are found mainly in oily fish. EPA and DHA contribute to normal heart function and are good for blood pressure. DHA is good for vision and supports brain function.

What does alpha-linolenic acid do?

Alpha-linolenic acid helps maintain normal cholesterol levels in the blood. Normal cholesterol levels contribute to a healthy heart and blood vessels.

The body can convert alpha linolenic acid into EPA and DHA. The conversion requires certain enzymes and sufficient vitamins C, E, B3, B6 and the minerals magnesium and zinc. Alpha linolenic acid itself is what is known as an essential fatty acid. Essential means that it cannot be made by the body itself. So we can only get it through food or supplements.

People who eat little or no fish and are deficient in alpha linolenic acid do not meet their daily omega-3 requirement.

The Health Council has the following recommendations for alpha-linolenic acid intake: women about 2 grams of ALA per day and men about 2.5 grams.

Ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6

In addition to sufficient omega-3 fatty acids in our diet, the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids is also important. Desirable is a balance of 1:5 preferably even lower (1:3), which means that our diet should contain no more than 5x as much omega-6 as omega-3. Unfortunately, in the Western diet this is often many times more. Which has implications for our susceptibility to inflammation. Omega-6 is found in vegetable oils, meat and in processed products. While for omega-3 we largely depend on EPA and DHA from fish and possibly algae, and on ALA from our diet.

Sources of alpha-linolenic acid

Linolenic acid is found in our diet mainly in vegetable oils such as perilla oil, linseed oil, rapeseed oil and walnut oil, for example, and to a lesser extent in meat and green leafy vegetables.

Written by: Marcella van der Wel
Reviewed and edited by: Wouter Olthof

Updated: December 13, 2022

Free advice
about supplements
Free advice
about supplements