Nutrient glossary
What is polyunsaturated fat?
Polyunsaturated fats include the essential omega-3 and omega-6 families your body cannot make itself.
Reviewed 20 July 2026. General information, not medical advice.
The short version
Polyunsaturated fat covers two essential families: omega-3, from oily fish, walnuts and flaxseed, and omega-6, from most seed oils and nuts. Essential means the body cannot build them from scratch, so some must come from food.
Like monounsaturated fat, it is shown as reference information. The evidence supports using it in place of saturated fat rather than adding more fat on top.
Daily reference (context, not a goal)
18 g a day
This is the fixed adult reference used across these pages. In the app, your amount adjusts to your body and way of eating.
Where polyunsaturated fat concentrates
| Food | Per serving | Per 100g |
|---|---|---|
| Walnuts | 13 g | 47 g |
| Hemp Seeds | 11 g | 38 g |
| Pine Nuts | 7 g | 34 g |
| Mayonnaise | 7 g | 45 g |
| Sunflower Seeds | 6 g | 23 g |
| Pecans | 6 g | 22 g |
| Pumpkin Seeds | 6 g | 21 g |
| Salmon Fillet | 6 g | 4 g |
Shown for awareness: the reference for polyunsaturated fat is a stay-under or context amount, so this table is about knowing where it lives, not chasing more of it.
Common questions
- What foods contain polyunsaturated fat?
- Sunflower seeds, walnuts, flaxseed, oily fish, soya and most liquid cooking oils are the main sources.
- Is polyunsaturated fat inflammatory?
- Controlled studies do not support that concern at normal intakes. Both omega-3 and omega-6 fats are essential; the evidence favours getting enough omega-3 rather than cutting omega-6.