Secoisolariciresinol and matairesinol were the first plant lignans identified in foods. Pinoresinol and lariciresinol are more recently identified plant lignans that contribute substantially to the total dietary lignan intakes. Typically, Lariciresinol and pinoresinol contribute about 75% to the total lignan intake whereas secoisolariciresinol and matairesinol contribute only about 25%.This distribution may change as the contributions of syringaresinol and hydroxymatairesinol have not properly been quantified in foods.
Sources of lignans:<ref>{{cite journal |author=Milder IE, Arts IC, van de Putte B, Venema DP, Hollman PC |title=Lignan contents of Dutch plant foods: a database including lariciresinol, pinoresinol, secoisolariciresinol and matairesinol |journal=Br. J. Nutr. |volume=93 |issue=3 |pages=393–402 |year=2005 |pmid=15877880 |doi=10.1079/BJN20051371}}</ref>
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