There is now pretty much evidence of the health benefits of Omega 3 polyunsaturated fish oil. But what about when you're pregnant. Should you take fish oil in pregnancy?
This is actually several questions. Firstly is it safe to take fish oil during pregnancy? Yes. There are no documented risks to taking fish oil in pregnancy for healthy normal mothers.
Secondly, what are the benefits of Omega 3 in pregnancy? This is really 2 questions. What are the benefits to the mother, and what are the benefits to the fetus, or to the infant after birth?
Studies have shown a wide range of benefits to healthy (and unhealthy) adults from taking more Omega 3 fats. The same benefits should apply to any pregnant woman. And more, see below.
But most importantly, what are the benefits, if any, to the fetus and later infant from the mother taking fish oil supplements in pregnancy?
Well studies have shown quite a wide range of benefits. About 95% of adults in the US are deficient in DHA, the most important of the Omega 3 fatty acids. You get DHA from fish oil.
The brain is made up of a high percentage of fat, and the most common fat in the brain is DHA. It is essential for good brain development. The fetal brain develops most during the third trimester of pregnancy, and during this time has a high demand for EFAs, or essential fatty acids. If there is a deficiency there are possible implications for brain development and later performance.
Studies have suggested that taking fish oil during pregnancy and thereby boosting the supply of DHA to the fetus can have the following benefits to the fetus:
Improved brain function. Increased ability to concentrate as a child. Improvements in hand/eye coordination. Improvement in the ability to concentrate. Better sleep patterns in infancy. Improvements in visual acuity. A beneficial, or preventative effect for ADHD.
and much more.
And studies have also shown that a low level of DHA during pregnancy can lead to a higher risk of premature birth and also to higher risk of needing a cesarean.
If you're pregnant you need to consider tracking down the best fish oil supplements and taking them. (Note that not all fish oil supplements are good)
That's a pretty impressive list. Lets look at the benefits of taking fish oil capsules during pregnancy to the mother again.
Lower risk of postpartum depression. Reduced risk of breast cancer. Lower risk of developing pre-eclampsia. Reduced risk of a cesarean birth.
Convinced to take fish oil supplements during your pregnancy yet? Remember, around 95% of the population are deficient in Omega 3 essential fatty acids found in fish oil, and that doesn't change when you're pregnant, unless you make it change.
Should you get your Omega 3 fats from eating fish? No problem, as long as you don't eat a lot. There are plenty of government warnings about eating fish due to mercury contamination. So how do you get your good healthy Omega 3 fats in pregnancy? Take Omega 3 capsules. The best ones aren't contaminated by mercury. But not all Omega 3 capsules are the same.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
Finding Ways To Increase Your Health With Omega 3 Cooking
Unless you've been living under a rock you should know by now that getting more Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is great for your health.
Scientists are finding more and more reasons to take more Omega 3 fats into our bodies. Our hearts, our eyes, our brains, our organs, there's so many reasons to get more good fats into our body.
There's 2 essential fatty acids found in fish oil. DHA, or Docosahexaenoic acid, is the main one but EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) is also very important. These are the most important essential fatty acids.
And fish oil has plenty of good Omega 3 fats in it, so most Omega 3 supplements are based on fish oil.
But there is a third important essential fatty acid called ALA and it is the plant based form of Omega 3. It is converted in the body to DHA, although there is some doubt over how much is converted and for this reason DHA is considered better.
What you eat is what gives you your Omega 3. By far the best way to get a daily dose is to take fish oil supplements daily, but adding some more Omega 3 fats to your diet using some Omega 3 recipes from a good Omega 3 cookbook.
There's good fats and bad fats. The bad fats are those like saturated fat that is found in dairy foods and meat. If you start eating good fats and reduce your bad fats it will do a power of good for your health.
Olive oil has good fats. Canola oil does as has flaxseed oil. And there are foods rich in Omega 3 like walnuts, brussel sprouts and spinach, kale and salad greens.
The vegetables have ALA but if you're taking your fish oil supplements you're getting your DHA and EPA from that source. And you can eat fish but the FDA tells us not to eat too much fish due to chemical contamination.
So if you're taking the best fish oil supplements daily and you're doing some good Omega 3 cooking then you're getting the best of both worlds. So start looking for some high Omega 3 foods and find a few good Omega 3 recipes for the kitchen. You need to source an Omega 3 cookbook to find some great recipes.
So grab a good Omega 3 cookbook and start making some recipes. Buy a high Omega oil to cook with and begin cooking some Omega 3 recipes for the family.
So remember, whilst you should be taking daily fish oil supplements to get the maximum benefit from those good fats, its well worthwhile also concentrating on using Omega 3 recipes when doing your cooking.
Not all fishoil supplements are the same and you need to know how to source the best fish oil capsules.
Scientists are finding more and more reasons to take more Omega 3 fats into our bodies. Our hearts, our eyes, our brains, our organs, there's so many reasons to get more good fats into our body.
There's 2 essential fatty acids found in fish oil. DHA, or Docosahexaenoic acid, is the main one but EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) is also very important. These are the most important essential fatty acids.
And fish oil has plenty of good Omega 3 fats in it, so most Omega 3 supplements are based on fish oil.
But there is a third important essential fatty acid called ALA and it is the plant based form of Omega 3. It is converted in the body to DHA, although there is some doubt over how much is converted and for this reason DHA is considered better.
What you eat is what gives you your Omega 3. By far the best way to get a daily dose is to take fish oil supplements daily, but adding some more Omega 3 fats to your diet using some Omega 3 recipes from a good Omega 3 cookbook.
There's good fats and bad fats. The bad fats are those like saturated fat that is found in dairy foods and meat. If you start eating good fats and reduce your bad fats it will do a power of good for your health.
Olive oil has good fats. Canola oil does as has flaxseed oil. And there are foods rich in Omega 3 like walnuts, brussel sprouts and spinach, kale and salad greens.
The vegetables have ALA but if you're taking your fish oil supplements you're getting your DHA and EPA from that source. And you can eat fish but the FDA tells us not to eat too much fish due to chemical contamination.
So if you're taking the best fish oil supplements daily and you're doing some good Omega 3 cooking then you're getting the best of both worlds. So start looking for some high Omega 3 foods and find a few good Omega 3 recipes for the kitchen. You need to source an Omega 3 cookbook to find some great recipes.
So grab a good Omega 3 cookbook and start making some recipes. Buy a high Omega oil to cook with and begin cooking some Omega 3 recipes for the family.
So remember, whilst you should be taking daily fish oil supplements to get the maximum benefit from those good fats, its well worthwhile also concentrating on using Omega 3 recipes when doing your cooking.
Not all fishoil supplements are the same and you need to know how to source the best fish oil capsules.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Are There Ways To Lower Your Triglycerides Naturally?
Do you want to find a way to lower your triglycerides naturally without taking drugs, with some simple lifestyle changes and a safe natural product?
But before we get started lets ask ourselves what triglycerides are.
It's bad for your health to eat fat isn't it? Well no, not necessarily. Some fats are good for us. But unfortunately triglycerides are a form of fat that aren't good for us.
Lets not get technical and give you the chemical explanations. Lets explain in simple language. Triglycerides are a form of fat that is in your blood that gets there from the foods you eat.
Triglycerides can be formed in the body from both fats in the food you eat as well as carbohydrates in the food.
So why do some people have too high a level of triglycerides in their blood? From what they eat, from being overweight and from drinking too much alcohol. They can also come from various health conditions.
So what foods are those that result in a higher than wanted level of triglycerides? Foods that are higher in fat, especially saturated fat, and high in sugar isn't good either.
And if you have high triglycerides why is this a problem? Because it can cause coronary heart disease problems.
So lets now look at how to lower triglycerides. If yours are too high you need to know this.
1. Eat the right diet to lower triglycerides. Foods that are lower in fat, fresh and good for your health. More fresh fruit and vegetables. Less high fat foods, less sugar. Cook with Olive oil or Canola oil.
2. Do more exercise. Exercise helps you to lower your triglycerides, and is good for you in so many other ways.
3. Reduce your alcohol intake.
4. Try to lose some weight.
5. Add more Omega 3 fats to your diet. These are some of the good fats and help lower triglycerides. So one or 2 might a week eat oily fish instead of steak.
It is well known that Omega 3 polyunsaturated fats are a big part of lowering triglycerides.
The American Heart Association says on it's website that we need to increase our intake of fish for this reason. Or take fish oil supplements. That's because fish is a very good source of Omega 3, especially oily fish. And fish oil supplements are a good way to take some fish oil every day.
Omega 3 fats are good for your heart and so many other things.
There's a problem in eating too much fish though, the FDA warns us about eating a lot of fish because fish is generally contaminated.
But the best Omega 3 supplements don't have toxins, although that isn't true for all Omega 3 capsules. And taking fish oil capsules is the best way to add fish oil to your diet daily.
That's a recipe for lowering triglycerides naturally. Some lifestyle and dietary changes and taking daily fish oil supplements and you've got a recipe for good health.
And remember, if you have a health condition, always consult your doctor as well.
But before we get started lets ask ourselves what triglycerides are.
It's bad for your health to eat fat isn't it? Well no, not necessarily. Some fats are good for us. But unfortunately triglycerides are a form of fat that aren't good for us.
Lets not get technical and give you the chemical explanations. Lets explain in simple language. Triglycerides are a form of fat that is in your blood that gets there from the foods you eat.
Triglycerides can be formed in the body from both fats in the food you eat as well as carbohydrates in the food.
So why do some people have too high a level of triglycerides in their blood? From what they eat, from being overweight and from drinking too much alcohol. They can also come from various health conditions.
So what foods are those that result in a higher than wanted level of triglycerides? Foods that are higher in fat, especially saturated fat, and high in sugar isn't good either.
And if you have high triglycerides why is this a problem? Because it can cause coronary heart disease problems.
So lets now look at how to lower triglycerides. If yours are too high you need to know this.
1. Eat the right diet to lower triglycerides. Foods that are lower in fat, fresh and good for your health. More fresh fruit and vegetables. Less high fat foods, less sugar. Cook with Olive oil or Canola oil.
2. Do more exercise. Exercise helps you to lower your triglycerides, and is good for you in so many other ways.
3. Reduce your alcohol intake.
4. Try to lose some weight.
5. Add more Omega 3 fats to your diet. These are some of the good fats and help lower triglycerides. So one or 2 might a week eat oily fish instead of steak.
It is well known that Omega 3 polyunsaturated fats are a big part of lowering triglycerides.
The American Heart Association says on it's website that we need to increase our intake of fish for this reason. Or take fish oil supplements. That's because fish is a very good source of Omega 3, especially oily fish. And fish oil supplements are a good way to take some fish oil every day.
Omega 3 fats are good for your heart and so many other things.
There's a problem in eating too much fish though, the FDA warns us about eating a lot of fish because fish is generally contaminated.
But the best Omega 3 supplements don't have toxins, although that isn't true for all Omega 3 capsules. And taking fish oil capsules is the best way to add fish oil to your diet daily.
That's a recipe for lowering triglycerides naturally. Some lifestyle and dietary changes and taking daily fish oil supplements and you've got a recipe for good health.
And remember, if you have a health condition, always consult your doctor as well.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
It's Confusing Finding The Right Fish Oil Dosage.
It's not quite clear what the right fish oil dosage is, I constantly see questions about how much fish oil should I take.
How much fish oil should you take? What is the recommended dosage of fish oil capsules for someone who has heart disease already? Should they take more fish oil supplements?
Lets have a look at the view of the American Heart Association. They tell us the benefits of Omega 3 fish oil on their website, and they look at what is the correct dosage of fish oil for people with, and without, heart disease.
Lets look at what they recommend.
Firstly though, lets consider the source of the fish oil. Now of course you could get your fish oil from eating fish. That's fine, but be aware that there are some problems associated with this, (apart from the fact that fish is very expensive and its cheaper to buy fish oil supplements).
Fish can be contaminated and for this reason the FDA tell us not to eat too much.
The very best fish oil capsules do through a strict decontamination process, so are free from chemicals. But not all fish oil capsules are.
The next problem is how much Omega 3 polyunsaturated fats you get from different types of fish. The level varies from one type of fish to another, and its hard to know what you need to eat to get enough. Generally speaking oily fish such as mackerel, herring, sardines, lake trout, albacore tuna and salmon is better than non oily fish.
Now the AHA tells us to eat 2 fish meals a week, but what if you're worried about contamination, or fish is too expensive?
And they also say evidence from prospective secondary prevention studies suggests that taking EPA+DHA ranging from 0.5 to 1.8 grams per day (either as fatty fish or supplements) significantly reduces deaths from heart disease and all causes.
So for healthy people we should be taking around half to 1.8 grams of EPA and DHA a day from fish or supplements.
And for people who have heart disease already:
For those with documented Coronary Heart Disease: 1 gram of EPA and DHA a day. (Note that those with known heart health problems should consult a doctor before starting any supplements).
And 2 to 4 grams a day if you have triglycerides that need lowering.
That's not too vague, but lets look somewhere else.
In a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on 11th August 2009 the recommendations are at least 500 mg per day for those with no known cardio vascular issues, and 800 to 1000 mg per day for those with known pre existing heart disease problems, of EPA and DHA.
But what about the ratio between DHA and EPA, the 2 major Omega 3 fats? How much of each? The AHA don't tell us, it's being studied.
What's the conclusion? Firstly, those with known heart disease should take more fish oil than those without.
We don't know what ratio we should aim for between EPA and DHA, but otherwise it's reasonably clear.
A minimum of a half gram a day of EPA and DHA together for healthy people and about double that for those with known heart issues. More for lowering triglycerides.
The best fish oil supplements money can buy have 280 mg of DHA and 120 mg of EPA in them. (Double the amount of DHA than your "average" capsules). So they have a total of 400 mg.
So 2 capsules a day will give you 800 mg in total, around the level proposed by the AHA. And the recommended dosage, (taken from the label), for adults is 2 capsules a day.
So if you have no known heart issues take the best fish oil supplements at a fish oil dosage of 2 capsules a day. You need to take up to double that for your "average" fish oil supplements, depending on what is in them.
So I hope that helps a little for those looking for the correct fish oil dosage. There's no exact recommendations, it's still being studied.
We can draw some conclusions from the recommendations of the AHA and others.
And those dosage conclusions correspond with the dosage recommendations of the best Omega 3 supplements money can buy. Take 2 of the best fish oil capsules day for general heart health.
How much fish oil should you take? What is the recommended dosage of fish oil capsules for someone who has heart disease already? Should they take more fish oil supplements?
Lets have a look at the view of the American Heart Association. They tell us the benefits of Omega 3 fish oil on their website, and they look at what is the correct dosage of fish oil for people with, and without, heart disease.
Lets look at what they recommend.
Firstly though, lets consider the source of the fish oil. Now of course you could get your fish oil from eating fish. That's fine, but be aware that there are some problems associated with this, (apart from the fact that fish is very expensive and its cheaper to buy fish oil supplements).
Fish can be contaminated and for this reason the FDA tell us not to eat too much.
The very best fish oil capsules do through a strict decontamination process, so are free from chemicals. But not all fish oil capsules are.
The next problem is how much Omega 3 polyunsaturated fats you get from different types of fish. The level varies from one type of fish to another, and its hard to know what you need to eat to get enough. Generally speaking oily fish such as mackerel, herring, sardines, lake trout, albacore tuna and salmon is better than non oily fish.
Now the AHA tells us to eat 2 fish meals a week, but what if you're worried about contamination, or fish is too expensive?
And they also say evidence from prospective secondary prevention studies suggests that taking EPA+DHA ranging from 0.5 to 1.8 grams per day (either as fatty fish or supplements) significantly reduces deaths from heart disease and all causes.
So for healthy people we should be taking around half to 1.8 grams of EPA and DHA a day from fish or supplements.
And for people who have heart disease already:
For those with documented Coronary Heart Disease: 1 gram of EPA and DHA a day. (Note that those with known heart health problems should consult a doctor before starting any supplements).
And 2 to 4 grams a day if you have triglycerides that need lowering.
That's not too vague, but lets look somewhere else.
In a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on 11th August 2009 the recommendations are at least 500 mg per day for those with no known cardio vascular issues, and 800 to 1000 mg per day for those with known pre existing heart disease problems, of EPA and DHA.
But what about the ratio between DHA and EPA, the 2 major Omega 3 fats? How much of each? The AHA don't tell us, it's being studied.
What's the conclusion? Firstly, those with known heart disease should take more fish oil than those without.
We don't know what ratio we should aim for between EPA and DHA, but otherwise it's reasonably clear.
A minimum of a half gram a day of EPA and DHA together for healthy people and about double that for those with known heart issues. More for lowering triglycerides.
The best fish oil supplements money can buy have 280 mg of DHA and 120 mg of EPA in them. (Double the amount of DHA than your "average" capsules). So they have a total of 400 mg.
So 2 capsules a day will give you 800 mg in total, around the level proposed by the AHA. And the recommended dosage, (taken from the label), for adults is 2 capsules a day.
So if you have no known heart issues take the best fish oil supplements at a fish oil dosage of 2 capsules a day. You need to take up to double that for your "average" fish oil supplements, depending on what is in them.
So I hope that helps a little for those looking for the correct fish oil dosage. There's no exact recommendations, it's still being studied.
We can draw some conclusions from the recommendations of the AHA and others.
And those dosage conclusions correspond with the dosage recommendations of the best Omega 3 supplements money can buy. Take 2 of the best fish oil capsules day for general heart health.
Monday, August 3, 2009
All About The Benefits Of Omega 3, And Finding The Best Omega 3 Supplements
You've decided it's time to start taking fish oil supplements, but how to find the best fish oil supplements?
It's confusing isn't it? There's a whole lot of different fish oil supplements on the market and they differ a lot in price don't they?
But surely fish oil is fish oil, just buy the cheapest. Actually no, that's not the best way to buy your Omega 3, there's more to think about than price.
Basically it boils down to 4 things. The amount of DHA in the supplements, the freshness of the oils used, the purity of the oil and it's effectiveness at combating inflammation. Lets look at these one by one.
1. The quantity of the DHA.
DHA is the most important of the Omega3 fatty acids. It's the primary fat in our brain, and the one you most want to get from your supplements, along with EPA. Most capsules are 18/12, meaning that 1000 mg per serve gives you 180 mg of DHA (18%) and 120 mg of EPA (12%).
But how do you find out how much DHA is in your capsules? Read the label. If it's not listed on the label don't buy them because it isn't there for a reason. There isn't a lot, if there was they'd tell you.
2. Freshness of the oils.
Fish oil can go rancid, or oxidize. When you take a capsule and it "repeats" on you, or burps up, it's probably because it's rancid. Oxidized fish oil is high in free radicals and isn't good for you, as any free radicals aren't good for you.
3. Purity of the fish oils used.
Our friends from the sea are contaminated with toxins that we, humans, have put in their ocean. It comes from the land via rivers, (and from oil rigs) and it contaminates the water they swim in. It ends up in their flesh, and the oil that comes from it.
There's a range of different standards internationally for the quality, or purity, of fish oil. None are binding. And there's different methods of decontaminating fish oil.
4. Effectiveness of the supplements.
Some supplements are more effective than others believe it or not. One of the major benefits of Omega 3 fish oils is their ability to reduce inflammation in our bodies. Aspirin is also used for this reason, but Omega 3s work much better.
So there you have the 4 major things to consider when looking for the best fish oil supplements. More confused than ever? Sorry.
But there is good news. There is one brand of Omega 3 supplements that fulfill all these criteria. They have 28% DHA, they use oil from fish caught in the cleanest ocean in the world, the southern ocean. They purify it using molecular distillation, the most effective purification method. Then they take each batch of fish oil to an independent lab to test it, and publish the results on their website to customers can check.
And tests show that they are up to 2 1/2 times more effective against inflammation than other supplements.
They aren't, of course, the cheapest Omega 3 fish oil supplements but I hope I've convinced you that price isn't all there is to fish oil capsules.
So if you've been looking to source the best fish oil supplements there's what you need to think about.
It's confusing isn't it? There's a whole lot of different fish oil supplements on the market and they differ a lot in price don't they?
But surely fish oil is fish oil, just buy the cheapest. Actually no, that's not the best way to buy your Omega 3, there's more to think about than price.
Basically it boils down to 4 things. The amount of DHA in the supplements, the freshness of the oils used, the purity of the oil and it's effectiveness at combating inflammation. Lets look at these one by one.
1. The quantity of the DHA.
DHA is the most important of the Omega3 fatty acids. It's the primary fat in our brain, and the one you most want to get from your supplements, along with EPA. Most capsules are 18/12, meaning that 1000 mg per serve gives you 180 mg of DHA (18%) and 120 mg of EPA (12%).
But how do you find out how much DHA is in your capsules? Read the label. If it's not listed on the label don't buy them because it isn't there for a reason. There isn't a lot, if there was they'd tell you.
2. Freshness of the oils.
Fish oil can go rancid, or oxidize. When you take a capsule and it "repeats" on you, or burps up, it's probably because it's rancid. Oxidized fish oil is high in free radicals and isn't good for you, as any free radicals aren't good for you.
3. Purity of the fish oils used.
Our friends from the sea are contaminated with toxins that we, humans, have put in their ocean. It comes from the land via rivers, (and from oil rigs) and it contaminates the water they swim in. It ends up in their flesh, and the oil that comes from it.
There's a range of different standards internationally for the quality, or purity, of fish oil. None are binding. And there's different methods of decontaminating fish oil.
4. Effectiveness of the supplements.
Some supplements are more effective than others believe it or not. One of the major benefits of Omega 3 fish oils is their ability to reduce inflammation in our bodies. Aspirin is also used for this reason, but Omega 3s work much better.
So there you have the 4 major things to consider when looking for the best fish oil supplements. More confused than ever? Sorry.
But there is good news. There is one brand of Omega 3 supplements that fulfill all these criteria. They have 28% DHA, they use oil from fish caught in the cleanest ocean in the world, the southern ocean. They purify it using molecular distillation, the most effective purification method. Then they take each batch of fish oil to an independent lab to test it, and publish the results on their website to customers can check.
And tests show that they are up to 2 1/2 times more effective against inflammation than other supplements.
They aren't, of course, the cheapest Omega 3 fish oil supplements but I hope I've convinced you that price isn't all there is to fish oil capsules.
So if you've been looking to source the best fish oil supplements there's what you need to think about.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Eating Fish. Is This The Best Way To Get Your Omega3 Fatty Acids?
Now that's a good question. We all need more omega3 fatty acids in our diet, but should we eat fish. Fish is contaminated with mercury.
And if eating fish is a bad idea because of the mercury, how else do you get that Omega3 in your diet?
Ive pointed out before that Omega 3 fats are most prevalent in fish, but that there are plant sources like flax seeds but they don't have the optimum types, or amounts, of Omega 3 fats that you need.
But surely there's a problem with eating fish, because we all know that now fish is contaminated with mercury.
The EPA says that there is mercury contamination in all fish.
And it's not a good idea to get mercury into your body, particularly for children. Your body doesn't get rid of it.
But notwithstanding, the EPA doesn't tell us to remove fish from our diet. Fish is ok in small quantities and they do offer some guidelines for how much, and what type, you should eat.
2 serves a week is fine, but for children and pregnant women they do offer some more guidelines about the types of fish to avoid.
Pregnant women and children ought to avoid eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish. These fish are high mercury fish.
But dont eliminate all fish from your diet just because you're worried about mercury. If you like fish you can eat it, sensibly and in relatively small quantities.
But of course if you understand the importance of omega3 fatty acids in your diet you need a regular supply of fish oil. Preferable a daily supply. And there is the rub. You see for most of us ordinary people eating fish regularly is really expensive. Fish is getting more and more expensive all the time, and as it gets scarcer it gets more expensive.
And it's ok to eat it in small quantities, but if you're just eating it for those good fats there are better ways. Of course if you love eating fish then no problem. Eat it.
And there is still mercury in fish, albeit in small amounts, and there is a solution to getting your Omega3 that doesn't involve eating fish, that is cheaper than buying fish a couple of times a week, and overcomes the problem with mercury contamination.
Use the best fish oil supplements. You can get Omega3 fatty acid supplements. They contain fish oil, and they are extremely clean, sourcing their oil from fish that live in the cleanest ocean in the world, the southern ocean, and then this is put through a molecular distillation process until contaminants are undetectable.
There's no binding standards for levels of contamination allowed if fish oil capsules, and some are cleaner than others.
So if you love to eat fish, and you're independently wealthy, go for it. But if you're eating it to get your Omega3 fats, then there's cheaper better ways, with no risk of eating any mercury.
And if eating fish is a bad idea because of the mercury, how else do you get that Omega3 in your diet?
Ive pointed out before that Omega 3 fats are most prevalent in fish, but that there are plant sources like flax seeds but they don't have the optimum types, or amounts, of Omega 3 fats that you need.
But surely there's a problem with eating fish, because we all know that now fish is contaminated with mercury.
The EPA says that there is mercury contamination in all fish.
And it's not a good idea to get mercury into your body, particularly for children. Your body doesn't get rid of it.
But notwithstanding, the EPA doesn't tell us to remove fish from our diet. Fish is ok in small quantities and they do offer some guidelines for how much, and what type, you should eat.
2 serves a week is fine, but for children and pregnant women they do offer some more guidelines about the types of fish to avoid.
Pregnant women and children ought to avoid eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish. These fish are high mercury fish.
But dont eliminate all fish from your diet just because you're worried about mercury. If you like fish you can eat it, sensibly and in relatively small quantities.
But of course if you understand the importance of omega3 fatty acids in your diet you need a regular supply of fish oil. Preferable a daily supply. And there is the rub. You see for most of us ordinary people eating fish regularly is really expensive. Fish is getting more and more expensive all the time, and as it gets scarcer it gets more expensive.
And it's ok to eat it in small quantities, but if you're just eating it for those good fats there are better ways. Of course if you love eating fish then no problem. Eat it.
And there is still mercury in fish, albeit in small amounts, and there is a solution to getting your Omega3 that doesn't involve eating fish, that is cheaper than buying fish a couple of times a week, and overcomes the problem with mercury contamination.
Use the best fish oil supplements. You can get Omega3 fatty acid supplements. They contain fish oil, and they are extremely clean, sourcing their oil from fish that live in the cleanest ocean in the world, the southern ocean, and then this is put through a molecular distillation process until contaminants are undetectable.
There's no binding standards for levels of contamination allowed if fish oil capsules, and some are cleaner than others.
So if you love to eat fish, and you're independently wealthy, go for it. But if you're eating it to get your Omega3 fats, then there's cheaper better ways, with no risk of eating any mercury.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
You're Looking For The Best Omega 3 Supplements. But how Do You Choose?
You start researching Omega 3 supplements and you start finding out all about DHA and EPA and lots more. You're confused. How do you choose the best Omega 3 capsules?
You know what it's like. The more you read the worse it gets. You start learning about EPA and DHA, and long chain and short chain omega 3 fats. About ALA and converting ALA to DHA.
For example a reader recently asked me about how to choose his omega 3 fish oil capsules. He was confused about the difference between long chain and short chain Omega 3 fats, and confused about which were the best Omega 3 supplements.
I can understand his confusion. Here's a short explanation, and then well have a look at how to choose the best Omega 3 fish oil supplements.
The three Omega 3 fats we've mentioned (DHA, EPA and ALA) are polyunsaturated fats. They are all good for your body but by far the best and most important is DHA. Remember DHA is the fat that makes up a large part of your brain, though of course that isnt the only reason.
ALA is primarily found in plant foods like flax, whilst EPA and DHA are found in sea foods like fish. ALA is the less important Omega3 nutrient. And ALA is a short chain fat. No need to go into complete detail on what a short chain fat is as its really complicated.
But DHA, the most important Omega 3 fatty acid along with EPA, is what you need from your Omega 3 supplements. And all Omega 3 fish oil capsules contain DHA.
Every fish oils capsule has DHA regardless of the brand.
So it seems that fish oil supplements are better than flax seed Omega 3 supplements, but how do you choose between the different fish oil supplements?
Theres 2 things you need to look for to find the best rated Omega 3 fish oil capsules. You need to look for the quantity of DHA in the capsules, and the purity of the oil.
You can't decide which are the best value fish oil tablets without knowing how much DHA you get from them.
Supplements with a third of the amount of DHA than other supplements are not good value even if they are half the price, because on a price/DHA quantity comparison they are actually more expensive.
And thats not all, you need to consider the purity of the oils too, because, sad to say, many of our fish are contaminated with toxins. You wouldn't want to take Omega 3 capsules with traces of mercury and PCBs would you?
That's the 2 things you need to consider when choosing your Omega3 capsules.
It isn't easy to do that comparison though. I have spent some time doing it and the good news is that there is a brand of Omega3 capsules that do offer good value on DHA quantity as well as the highest purity in the industry.
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You know what it's like. The more you read the worse it gets. You start learning about EPA and DHA, and long chain and short chain omega 3 fats. About ALA and converting ALA to DHA.
For example a reader recently asked me about how to choose his omega 3 fish oil capsules. He was confused about the difference between long chain and short chain Omega 3 fats, and confused about which were the best Omega 3 supplements.
I can understand his confusion. Here's a short explanation, and then well have a look at how to choose the best Omega 3 fish oil supplements.
The three Omega 3 fats we've mentioned (DHA, EPA and ALA) are polyunsaturated fats. They are all good for your body but by far the best and most important is DHA. Remember DHA is the fat that makes up a large part of your brain, though of course that isnt the only reason.
ALA is primarily found in plant foods like flax, whilst EPA and DHA are found in sea foods like fish. ALA is the less important Omega3 nutrient. And ALA is a short chain fat. No need to go into complete detail on what a short chain fat is as its really complicated.
But DHA, the most important Omega 3 fatty acid along with EPA, is what you need from your Omega 3 supplements. And all Omega 3 fish oil capsules contain DHA.
Every fish oils capsule has DHA regardless of the brand.
So it seems that fish oil supplements are better than flax seed Omega 3 supplements, but how do you choose between the different fish oil supplements?
Theres 2 things you need to look for to find the best rated Omega 3 fish oil capsules. You need to look for the quantity of DHA in the capsules, and the purity of the oil.
You can't decide which are the best value fish oil tablets without knowing how much DHA you get from them.
Supplements with a third of the amount of DHA than other supplements are not good value even if they are half the price, because on a price/DHA quantity comparison they are actually more expensive.
And thats not all, you need to consider the purity of the oils too, because, sad to say, many of our fish are contaminated with toxins. You wouldn't want to take Omega 3 capsules with traces of mercury and PCBs would you?
That's the 2 things you need to consider when choosing your Omega3 capsules.
It isn't easy to do that comparison though. I have spent some time doing it and the good news is that there is a brand of Omega3 capsules that do offer good value on DHA quantity as well as the highest purity in the industry.
But actually doing that comparison isn't as easy as you'd think and you may struggle. I have run the sums and one brand comes up as the best fish oil supplement on both DHA quantity and also on oil purity. The very best Omega 3 supplements are made by the small New Zealand company Xtend Life.
That's not really a surprise as they also make some of the worlds best nutritional supplements generally.
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