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Common Dietary Fatty Acids

Common Name Chain length Type Food source
Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs)      
Acetic C2:0 SFA vinegar, gut microbiota, fiber
Propionic C3:0 SFA gut microbiota, fiber
Butyric C4:0 SFA gut microbiota, fiber, full fat dairy
Isobutyric C4:0 SFA carob, vanilla
Methyl-butyric C5:0 SFA not known
Valeric C5:0 SFA gut microbiota
Isovaleric C5:0 SFA gut microbiota
Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFAs)      
Caproic C6:0 SFA full fat dairy
Caprylic C8:0 SFA coconut, palm, full fat dairy, peanuts
Capric C10:0 SFA coconut, palm oil, full fat dairy
Lauric C12:0 SFA coconut, palm oil, full fat dairy, egg yolks, cinnamon oil
Long Chain Fatty Acids (LCFAs)      
Myristic C14:0 SFA coconut, palm oil, whole fat dairy, nutmeg
Myristoleic C14:1n-5 omega-5 full fat dairy, beef
Pentadecanoic acid C15:0 SFA full fat dairy, sunflower oil, red meat
Palmitic C16:0 SFA palm oil,vegetable oils, animal fat, butter
Palmitoleic C16:1n-7 omega-7 macadamia nuts, avocado oil, olive oil
Trans-palmitoleate C16:1n trans-7 natural TFA whole fat dairy, meat
Heptadecanoic acid C17:0 SFA red meat, full fat dairy
Stearic  C18:0 SFA animal fat, chocolate, butter, brazil nut
Vaccenic C18:1n trans-11 natural TFA full fat dairy
Cis-vaccenic C:18:1n-7 omega-7 sea buckthorn oil
Oleic C18:1n-9 omega-9 vegetable oil; tree nuts, full fat dairy
Elaidicacid (trans-oleic) C18:1n trans-9 TFA partially hydrogenated oils, margarines
Alpha-linolenic (ALA) C18:3n-3 omega-3 flax, chia, hemp and canola oils; walnuts
Stearidonic C18:3n-3 omega-3 black currants, hemp seed oil
Long Chain Fatty Acids (LCFAs), Very LCFAs and Ultra LCFAs      
Linoleic (LA) C18:2n-6 omega-6 coconut, palm oil, whole fat dairy
Gamma-linolenic (GLA) C18:3n-6 omega-6 full fat dairy, beef
Arachidic C15:0 SFA full fat dairy, sunflower oil, red meat
Eicosenoic (Gondoic acid) C16:0 omega-9 palm oil, animal fat, butter
Eicosatrienoic C16:1n-7 omega-9 macadamia nuts, avocado oil, olive oil
Eicosapentaenoic (EPA) C16:1n trans-7 natural TFA whole fat dairy, meat
Arachidonic (AA) C17:0 SFA red meat, full fat dairy
Dihomo-gamma-linolenic  C18:0 SFA animal fat, chocolate, butter, brazil nut
Behenic C18:1n trans-11 natural TFA full fat dairy
Docosahexaenoic (DHA) C:22:6n-6 omega-3 sea buckthorn oil
Erucic (Brassidic acid) C22:1n-9 omega-9 rapeseed and mustard oil, canola
Nervonic C22:1n-9 omega-9 mustard and canola oil, cold water fish, flaxseed
Lignoceric C24:0 SFA peanuts, macadamia nuts, canola and soy oil, sunflower seeds
Cerotic C26:0 SFA beeswax
Montanic C28:0 SFA beeswax
Melissic C30:0 SFA beeswax
Lacceroic C32:0 SFA not known, found in some marine sponges
Geddic C34:0 SFA beeswax, candelilla wax
Hexatriacontylic C36:0 SFA not known
Octatriacontanoic C38:0 SFA not known