What Is Paullinic Acid (20:1) & What Foods Can I Find It In?

Paullinic acid, 20:1, also known as (Z)-13-icosenoate.

It’s a monounsaturated omega-7 fatty acid in the eicosenoic acid family.

Paullinic acid exists as a liquid and is considered to be practically insoluble in water and relatively neutral.

Paullinic acid is believed to be good for our skin, but unfortunately it has low bioavailability.

Table of Contents

Paullinic Acid From The Soapberry Family

Paullinic acid is a long-chain fatty acid.

Paullinic acid is found in fats and oils. Paullinic acid is isolated from herring oil and rapeseed oil and from various Sapindaceae.

Sapindaceae are more known as the soapberry family. It includes species like horse chestnut, maples, ackee, and lychee. (source )

Paullinic Acid Has Poor Bioavailability

Paullinic acid has low water solubility and poor bioavailability.

It is an important plant metabolite and has been used in the food industry, cosmetic industry and medicine industry.

As a natural product, it is not only safe and environmentally friendly but also economically efficient. Which means that it is being used even though it might not give us as many benefits as we would like.

Uses Of Paullinic Acid

Paullinic acid is believed to be able to keep skin healthy and wrinkle-free.

It’s shown to have a variety of effects, including wound healing, and has been used for centuries as a treatment for acne, and it is also used in the cosmetics world.

In recent years, it has been used in sunscreens and as an anti-aging ingredient.

Foods You Can Find Paullinic Acid (20:1) In

You find Paullinic Acid (20:1) mostly in oils from American Indian and Alaska native food, seafood, spices and herbs.

Examples of food sources include

Foods in our nutrition tool

You can find regularly updated top-ranked lists of foods for over 200+ nutrients in our nutrition tool.

If you are interested in what foods contain the most Paullinic Acid (20:1) we recommend you visit our tool.

Here's our top-ranked list of foods that contain Paullinic Acid (20:1).

Sara Niemelä

co-founder Care Omnia, Head Content Creator

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Nutrition is my passion. I've spent thousands upon thousands of hours reading, analyzing, categorizing and comparing research studies.

I’m a wife and a mother of three. I enjoy the outdoors, cooking, and spending time with my family.