Omega 3 Sources: Should You Use Food or Supplements to Get the Omega 3 Fatty Acids You Need?

There are a variety of Omega 3 sources. Although we personally take and recommend DHA fish oil supplements to get our daily dosage of omega3 fatty acids, this is only one approach.

The other approach, one that many people prefer, is to consume foods high in omega 3.

Regardless of your preference, both methods deliver the scientifically-proven benefits of omega3 fatty acids, including:

- Lowering the risk factors of heart disease: Clinical studies demonstrate that increased omega 3 intake can prevent atherosclerosis, by slowing the build-up of plaque in the arteries, and guarding against blood clots.

- Enhancing brain function: Long-chain essential fatty acids improve memory and concentration, prevent depression, and decrease the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's and ADHD.

- Reducing cholesterol and triglycerides: Omega-3s can help increase HDL cholesterol levels (the "good" cholesterol), reduce triglycerides (fatty material in the bloodstream), and lower LDL levels.

- Alleviating joint pain:Omega3s can decrease the symptoms of inflammatory joint conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

- Weight loss: Poor blood sugar and high cholesterol tend to go hand-in-hand with obesity. Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to stabilize blood sugar levels, and lower cholesterol.

- Osteoporosis: Omega3s can increase bone density by boosting calcium levels in the body.This leads to increased bone strength, and an inhibition of the bone loss that we associate with aging.

And much more.

On this section of the site, we'll examine omega-3 sources in detail, and review the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Omega 3 Supplements

Nutritional supplements offer an easy way to get the recommended daily amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega 3 supplement products take two basic forms: fish oil, and flaxseed oil.

Fish oil is derived from fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, anchovies, hoki, and tuna. It contains DHA and EPA, two important long chain fatty acids.

Fish oil is usually contained in soft gel capsules, or liquid.

Flaxseed oil is produced from the seeds of the flax plant. Flax seed is high in ALA, the "base" omega-3 fatty acid from which DHA and EPA can be converted.

Flax seed comes in soft gels, liquid form, and whole seeds.

Advantages:

- Easy: Simply taking a couple of capsules or tablets a day will give you the nutrients you need.

- Economical: You can get a month's supply of a high-quality omega 3 supplement for less than $1 per day.

- Concentrated potency: In superior fish oil capsules, for example, the product is purified of all toxins and nonessential substances. This provides an ultra-refined, potent dose of omega 3 fatty acids.

Disadvantages:

- Low quality product may lack potency: Comparing the amount of ALA, DHA, or EPA contained in supplements reveals a wide disparity in the potency of the products. One supplement may contain twice as much DHA as another, for example. You have to read the labels closely and compare the value.

- "Fishy burp" with inferior fish oils: The unpleasant burping that people associate with fish oils results from a high level of oxidation--the mark of a poor quality product, and something that is all too common. With better supplements, the fish used is fresher, oxidation levels are lower, and there is no burping afterward.

- Remembering to take the supplement each day: This is just a matter of developing the habit of taking the capsules, of course, but it can be a concern nonetheless if you aren't accustomed to "popping a pill" every day.

Omega 3 Foods

For many people, eating foods high in omega 3 may be the ideal way to get the recommended amounts of these compounds. In fact, the American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish twice a week.

The appeal of this approach is obvious: it's certainly more fulfilling to eat grilled salmon than it is to take a couple of fish oil capsules.

But this path comes with potential drawbacks, too (see below).

Dietary sources of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) include plant sources, such as whole flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and canola oil.

You'll get EPA and DHA from fatty cold-water fish, such as mackerel, salmon, tuna, halibut, sardines, anchovies, and herring.

When speaking of fish, it's worth nothing that their diet determines the levels of EPA and DHA that they offer. Fish acquire EPA and DHA from consuming marine algae, and krill. Farm-raised fish (the kind usually sold in the supermarket) may be fed pellets that lack these nutrients.

Fortified foods provide another option. "Omega 3 eggs" for example, are produced by chickens that are fed a diet rich in plant-based omega3 fatty acids, such as flax seeds.

Advantages:

- Enjoyable: Eating omega 3 rich foods can be a lot more fun than taking tablets or capsules.

- Variety: The sheer number of vegetarian and fish-based sources of omega 3 fatty acids offers an opportunity for a varied diet.

- Overall nutritional value: Fish contains more than just omega3s. It also contains protein, vitamins, and minerals. This can benefit your overall diet.

Disadvantages:

- Lack of potency: Ensuring omega3 potency in foods is a key concern. As stated above, the farm-raised fish commonly sold in the grocery store may lack the EPA and DHA levels of wild fish that consume a natural diet of marine algae.

- Expensive: Eating quality fish twice a week will cost much more than a month's supply of fish oil capsules.

- Dietary restrictions: If you're a vegan, of course, you don't eat fish. Other people may simply not enjoy the taste of fish. (Vegans can take algal supplements to get DHA and EPA omega3s.)

Omega 3 Sources - Summary:

In the long run, a blend of both approaches may be best. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) recommends getting omega 3 fatty acids from foods, but advises supplements if your dietary intake of omega 3 sources is lacking.

Since most of us are lacking in this regard, it makes sense to increase our consumption of foods high in omega 3 . . . and to take a quality fish oil supplement as extra insurance.

The Omega 3 Fish Oil Supplement We Personally Use and Recommend . . . 

Xtend-Life Omega 3/DHA Fish Oil The purest fish oil in the world. Sourced from the Hoki fish in the pristine ocean waters off the coast of New Zealand, it's so fresh that it contains no additives or flavoring like other inferior products. At less than $20 per bottle, it's easy on the pocketbook, too. Learn more about Xtend-Life's Omega 3/DHA Fish Oil . . .