There's Omega 3 In Fish, Without Doubt, But What Else Is There?

Most people now know that there is plenty of Omega 3 fat in fish and that more of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids in your diet is extremely good for you.
The Omega 3 essential fatty acids are known as "essential" because they are extremely important for the proper function of your body, and also because your body is unable to produce them itself and therefore your diet is the only source of these fats.
And research has demonstrated clearly that over the last century our intake of fish, the primary source of the Omega 3 fats in our diet, has declined dramatically. And science is now showing that this decline has repercussions in a wide range of health areas.
Omega 3 levels in fish vary according to the type of fish. Some fish are relatively low in Omega 3 essential fatty acids whilst others are relatively high. Oily fish in particular have high levels of DHA and EPA, the 2 most important of the essential fatty acids, as these are found in the oil.
And so it would seem, if our diets are low in the Omega 3 fats, and there is plenty of Omega 3 in fish, that we should all be eating lots of fish. And whilst this is true to a degree it also has its own problems.
The American Heart Association tells us that we should all be eating a couple of meals of fish per week. However they also recognize a problem, namely that much fish is contaminated with Mercury, PCBs and other nasty toxins. Whilst these are present are in low levels they should not be there at all, and we should not be eating them.
And for this reason the AHA also repeats various warnings made by the FDA, particularly concerning children and pregnant women, warning that they should not eat too much of certain fish, and that they should vary the types eaten because of this particular problem.
And with the price of fish rising all the time providing 2 fish meals per week can become prohibitive for many families.
There is no doubt about the Omega 3 levels in fish, however there are also reasons why we should be extremely careful in choosing which ones we eat, and we should also look for other alternatives to improve our intake of the essential fatty acids.
There are many brands of fish oil supplements available, however there are also brands of supplements which have been found to be contaminated as well, and so you should be extremely careful if looking to get your essential fatty acids from capsules.
But there are excellent Omega 3 supplements available with high levels of DHA and EPA and no contamination.
There is plenty of Omega 3 in fish, but some powerful reasons not to eat too much. Fortunately, through the use of high quality fish oil supplements, it is both cost-effective and safe to increase your intake of DHA and EPA every day.

Are You Eating PCBs And Mercury With Your Omega 3 Capsules?

It's now becoming common knowledge that DHA and EPA, the 2 most important of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids, are extremely good for your health, and that most of us get too little in our diet. It is not so well-known that many Omega 3 fish oil supplements intended to deliver these important essential nutrients can be contaminated with PCBs, Mercury and other industrial contaminants.
Unfortunately it's true. The US government tells its citizens not to eat too much fish because of industrial contamination. Obviously fish oil comes from fish, and therefore there is a likelihood that if oil is used from contaminated fish then that oil will also be contaminated.
And sadly that's now been confirmed, with a significant number of Omega 3 fish oil supplements tested by an independent laboratory being found to be contaminated with industrial toxins which can include PCBs.
PCBs are a class of particularly pernicious industrial chemical that have been banned in the US since the 1970s, many of which are known to cause cancer. In California Proposition 65 requires manufacturers of various products to warn consumers if they are at risk of ingesting various toxic chemicals at certain levels from their products.
And it's not just some fringe brands of Omega 3 supplements that were found to be at fault. Some big names in the fish oil supplements industry have been caught in the net.
And as a result legal action has been launched against these companies for failing to warn consumers of the risks of using their products as required by Proposition 65.
There's no doubt that virtually all of us need to increase our intake of DHA and EPA, the essential fatty acids known as the Omega 3 fats found primarily in fish. But none of us need do so at any risk to our health from contamination from chemicals such as PCBs and more.
There's an easy way to tell if the fish oil supplements that you eat are clean. The manufacturer of these supplements should publish on their website a Certificate of Analysis of the oil used in the supplements, updated for each batch of oil used, by an independent laboratory, certifying that the oil has been tested to contamination and found to be clean, with the results there for everyone to see.
If you're currently taking Omega 3 fish oil supplements head to the website of the manufacturer and see if you can find such a Certificate of Analysis. If you can't consider a change of brands.
The best fish oil supplements are marketed transparently, and you are perfectly able to view the entire Certificate of Analysis for each batch of oil used in their manufacture. Unfortunately you'll find that this is quite rare.
So if you're convinced of the health benefits of Omega 3 supplementation choose your brand of capsules wisely. There are risks that you may not have thought of before.

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