How Do You Choose the Best Fish Oil Supplements?

Because Not All Fish Oil Supplements Are The Same

There's a massive number of fish oil supplements available to buy. Over the last few years there has been considerable attention paid in the popular press to the research around the health benefits of the omega 3 essential fatty acids, and as a result sales of omega 3 supplements are growing in volume like just about no other health supplement in history.

If you go online you'll find so many different supplements available. Are they all the same and if not how do you choose between them?

First I should say that we have spent quite some time researching this, as we talk about it on this site and also take fish oil supplements ourselves. We have been amazed at what we have discovered about the differences between the different brands of fish oil supplements.

These differences can be summarised as follows, and we will discuss each in more detail further below.

1. How much DHA you are getting in your capsules, because it varies hugely, and the cheaper supplements are not necessarily best value.

2. The risks of PCB and mercury contamination in your supplements

3. The freshness and purity of the fish oil used in the supplements

How Much Omega 3 Are You Really Getting?

You assume when you buy omega 3 supplements that they are full of omega 3 essential fatty acids. But none of them are "full" of omega 3 fats, all of them have other ingredients which are there to help carry the omega 3.

So if you're not getting a full capsule of omega 3 fats how do you know how much you're getting? Good question.

Most supplements are what are called 18/12 supplements. This means that they are 18 percent EPA and 12 percent DHA. In other words only 12 percent of what is in the capsule is DHA, and 18 percent is EPA, and these are the 2 most important omega 3 fats, though it seems generally agreed that DHA is more important.

This means that in 1000 milligram capsules you're getting 120 milligrams of DHA, which isn't a lot.

Not all capsules are the 18/12 type. The best fish oil supplements in fact contain 300 milligrams of DHA, which is about 2 1/2 times as much as what you find in 18/12 capsules. But they're not 2 1/2 times the price of the cheaper capsules, so in reality they represent better value.

The Risks of PCB and Mercury Contamination in Your Supplements

It may not have come to your attention however it is a sad fact that much of the fish in our oceans is contaminated with man-made contaminants such as PCBs and mercury. In fact the government warns about this, particularly in relation to pregnant women, suggesting that for this reason we should be careful about our intake of fish, particularly some types.

And sadly some brands of fish oil supplements have also been found to contain such contaminants. To find out more click here and here. In fact there's even a lawsuit about it, to find out more click here.

That is concerning. Some fish oil supplement manufacturers will source their fish oil from wholesale sources, and in many cases these fish are caught in areas close to large bodies of population, for example the Atlantic Ocean, between Europe and North America. Fish caught there are at higher risk of contamination than fish caught near Antarctica for example, for obvious reasons.

The fish oil supplements we choose are manufactured from oil from fish caught way down in the southern ocean. The company manufacturing them specifically contracts the fishermen directly to supply these fish from this area.

They are therefore much lower in any form of contamination, in fact it's not there. Not only that but every single batch of fish oil used in their supplements is tested for contamination by rigourous testing process under very strict guidelines, and the results are posted on their website for everyone to see. You can be confident you're not eating any PCBs or mercury or anything else nasty.

The Freshness and Purity of the Fish Oil Used in the Supplements

Have you ever had "fishy burps" from fish oil supplements? No one should assume that this will happen because it's because the fish oil used in the supplements is stale, or rancid. Fish oil sourced from wholesale sources can be old, and like anything else fish oil goes off with time.

Our preferred supplements are sourced from fish which are taken directly from the fishing boats to the factory for processing as fast as possible. You will not get fishy burps.

And You Get a Money Back Guarantee

Our preferred supplier of fish oil supplements also offers a full 100 percent 365 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're unhappy for any reason send them back for a refund. Try getting that from some of the other manufacturers of fish oil supplements.

So to conclude, as you can see, not all fish oil supplements are the same. There are some serious matters which you need to consider before buying your Omega3 capsules.

And for a much fuller explanation of all of this visit http://bestfishoilsupplements.net/

To your good health.

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.

The European Parliament Confirms the Role of DHA in the Development of Baby Vision

It is now pretty well known that there are substantial health benefits, including to the very young, from increasing the amount of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids in our diet. This has now, in the last couple of days, been confirmed by a decision of the European Parliament.
The Omega 3 essential fatty acids are important fats that our body needs to good health but which it is unable to produce itself. For this reason all of our Omega 3 fatty acids must of necessity come from what we eat. And unfortunately the primary source of these essential fats is seafood, and particularly oily fish, and our consumption of seafood has declined dramatically over the last century.
This has had substantial health ramifications, and in particular has contributed to an increase in a range of lifestyle diseases that were rare a century ago. Researchers started to uncover the reasons why when they began to study communities which had very low levels of the lifestyle diseases such as the Japanese, and discovered a link between the amount of seafood consumed and diseases such as heart disease.
Whilst the initial evidence was building up there was some scepticism about the health benefits of the Omega 3 fats, however it is now generally recognised by mainstream medical organisations that a deficiency in the Omega 3 essential fatty acids contributes to heart disease and may even contribute to a heart attack causing death. The American Heart Association now tells us to eat more fatty acids for this reason.
But it's not just for our heart health. There's a wide range of other health problems which are impacted by a deficiency in our intake of the essential fatty acids, including our eyesight, and the development of baby vision
It is not commonly known but there is more DHA in the retinal rods in the eye than in any other cells in our body. An adequate supply of DHA ensures better vision in the very young and in the very old, because it is also now understood that low levels of DHA can be a contributing factor to macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older people.
During the first 3 years of life your baby's vision develops dramatically. In the first 3 years of life the size of a baby's eyes increases threefold from birth. Retinal tissue in the eye is mature by the age of 3, although the development of vision continues throughout childhood affecting such things as hand eye coordination.
The development of baby vision affects every aspect of an infant's life.
It has been recognized for some time that breastfed infants have better developed visual functions than those who are fed formula. Traditional infant formulas does not contain any of the Omega 3 fats, particularly DHA, whereas breastmilk does, provided the mother has these important fats in her diet. If she does they are passed to the infant through breastfeeding.
For this reason it is now possible to buy DHA fortified infant formula, and the European Parliament has now confirmed the benefits to the eyesight of babies and infants of this DHA fortification.
Through a narrow vote it was confirmed that infant formulas can include claims about the benefits of DHA in the formula on infant visual development. There were voices of objection raised of course on the grounds that this may lead mothers to think that formula is as good for babies as breastmilk.
This is a valid objection and it is generally accepted that breastmilk is always better for babies than formula, however for various reasons mothers will still continue to use formula for their babies, and if they do it is always better that they use formula fortified with the Omega 3 fats.
There's no doubt breastmilk is better for babies, however it is important that any mother also understands that for her baby to get an adequate supply of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids the mother must have an adequate supply of these fats in her own diet. This is important both for her own health as well as for the health, and visual development, of her baby.
Gradually we are seeing acceptance by the mainstream, including medical organisations such as the American Heart Association, and now by the European Parliament, of the fact that a sufficient intake of DHA and EPA is essential to the good health of all of us, as well as to the development of baby vision.
Of course eating fish is the traditional way of ensuring an adequate intake, however fish is now generally considered to be contaminated with toxins such as Mercury, and we shouldn't eat too much fish that this reason. Fortunately there are high quality fish oil supplements available which are both cost-effective to take daily and which are completely clean and free of contamination.

Find Out About The Link, If Any, Between Omega 3 Fatty Acids And Lowering Blood Pressure

There is little doubt about the heart health benefits of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). Many of the benefits to our heart health of increasing our intake of these 2 of the most important essential fatty acids are now mainstream, and for this reason mainstream organisations such as the American Heart Association are telling us we should all be eating more Omega 3 fats.
But do these health benefits extended to lowering your blood pressure?
In fact it's not just heart health benefits that are attracted to us by eating more of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids. There's a wide range of health benefits, some of which are now firmly established and some of which are still in the process of being investigated.
Unfortunately over the last century our intake of seafood has dropped dramatically. Instead of having a fish on our plate we are more likely now to have fries or burgers for dinner. And this is having an impact on our health.
Fish is the biggest source of DHA and EPA, the 2 most important essential fatty acids known as the Omega 3 fats. Our body is unable to manufacture either of these fatty acids itself and so needs to rely on our intake of these fats through our diet.
When we were eating a lot more fish we were getting plenty of the Omega 3 fats in our diet because fish, and in particular oily fish, are very high in these fats. Unfortunately burgers and fries are not high in the Omega 3 fats and are high in unhealthy fats.
The resultant effect has been that our intake of the good Omega 3 fats has declined dramatically over the last century and at the same time our intake of bad Omega 6 fats has increased just as dramatically, and it is considered by medical professionals that this may well be a substantial factor in the increase in the incidence of a wide range of lifestyle diseases including heart diseases, cancers and much more.
There is now some suggestion that those who are prone to high blood pressure may also benefit from increasing their intake of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids by lowering their blood pressure. In a study referred by the American Heart Association a large group of men were split into smaller groups and given a range of different dietary intakes, some higher in fat and some lower in fat, some with Omega 3 supplementation by way of fish oil capsules, some eating more fish and some taking placebo capsules.
The object was to examine the link, if any, between Omega 3 and lower blood pressure.
The result was interesting and encouraging, and the conclusion drawn was that in subjects who took either the fish or the fish oil, particularly those in the low-fat groups, diastolic and systolic blood pressures dropped.
It is always difficult to say at what point something is sufficiently proven. Of course these questions will continue to be studied, and as seems to be the case with all these things some studies will confirm this conclusion and some will reject it.
However whether it is sufficiently proven that taking fish oil capsules reduces your blood pressure, there is now no doubt that all that all of us should be taking fish oil capsules every day, or eating more fish, to attract a wide range of well recognised health benefits to ourselves, including reducing the risk of dying from heart attack.
The evidence supporting the conclusion that our reduction in intake of the Omega 3 fatty acids is severely affecting our health is mounting. And the evidence that increasing our intake now will attract significant health benefits to us is also mounting.
There are excellent high quality Omega 3 fish oil supplements available on the market which are both cost-effective to take every day, and, provided you buy quality supplements, are free of the Mercury contamination commonly found in fish.

Omega 3 Fortified Eggs Are Very Expensive. But Are They Worth the Extra Cost to You?

Just about every food you buy now seems to be fortified with Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Eggs are no exception, and it is now quite common to see Omega 3 fortified eggs in your supermarket, and they are usually quite a bit more expensive. Is the extra cost of Omega 3 eggs worth it?
First of all let me say that all eggs should have Omega 3 essential fatty acids already. The fact that our mofern eggs are devoid of the Omega 3 essential fats owes as much to modern farming practices as it does to anything else.
The Omega 3 fatty acids commonly found in a range of natural foods such as fish start life out in grass. In the ocean the Omega 3 fats are found in seagrass. When small fish eat the seagrass they ingest the fats, and when in turn these small fish are eaten by bigger fish the essential fatty acids work their way up the food chain.
That's why fish oil is such a good source of the Omega 3 fats, because of the seagrass.
And ordinary grass is no exception, it too has plenty of Omega 3 fats.
And in the past our chickens used to free range around the farm, and spend their day eating, amongst other things, plenty of grass.
Yes surprising though it may seem chickens love to eat grass. Just watch one for a while and you'll see it breaking off grass stems and eating them.
So of course if the chickens were getting grass in their diet they were getting Omega 3 fats in their diet and these were therefore found in their eggs.
But modern farming practices have ensured that chickens no longer eat grass, rather they eat such foods as chicken pellets, grains and soy products. These don't have Omega 3 fats, and therefore neither do our chickens or their eggs, and therefore if we want Omega 3 fats in our eggs we need to buy Omega 3 fortified eggs.
The problem is that there are a number of essential fatty acids known as the Omega 3 fats, not just one. DHA and EPA are the 2 most important, and these are the fatty acids found in fish.
However there is another form of fatty acid known as ALA, which is not nearly as healthy for our body. It is really a precursor to DHA and EPA because it is only worthwhile for our health once our body has converted it into DHA and EPA.
And sadly it is now recognized that our body is very inefficient at converting ALA, and in fact very little of it is converted at all.
Meaning that eating Omega 3 fortified eggs with ALA in them rather than DHA and EPA gives you little health benefit.
If you're interested in finding out more read the label on the eggs, we have seen eggs with DHA and EPA, but this is rare. Generally ALA is found in the eggs because it is cheaper.
So in my view you're wasting your money spending more for Omega 3 eggs.
You're much better off spending your money on high quality fish oil supplements which have stacks more DHA and EPA in them and which are convenient and cost-effective to take daily.
Of course the perfect solution is to keep your own chickens, allow them to free range around your garden and provide you with beautiful Omega 3 fortified eggs.