So you have heard a great deal about the enormous health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. Indeed, there is overwhelming evidence supporting these claims. But what are omega-3s in the first place?
Omega-3 fatty acids consist of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). The magic source of omega-3s is the fat of cold water fish such as salmon, sardines, herrings, mackerel, black cod, and bluefish. Omega-3s are essential for our bodies to function normally. Since we cannot produce them internally, they have to be consumed through diet or supplementation.
Spectrum Flaxseed Oil
There is much confusion when it comes to choosing the best fish to eat or buying a good omega-3s supplement. Can you take flax oil to get your omega-3s? Or should you be taking an omega 3-6-9 blend instead? Read on to find the answers.
How To Choose Your Omega-3s?
Omega-3s Health Benefits
Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) are the building blocks for hormones that control immune function, blood clotting, cell growth as well as components of cell membranes. Omega-3s are crucial to human health because they are potent inflammation suppressors and inflammation is the cause of most chronic degenerative diseases.
Unfortunately, modern day diet is way too low in omega-3s and too high in omega-6s, which tend to promote inflammation. Omega-6s are found abundantly in seeds and nuts and refined vegetable oils made from canola, corn, soybean, safflower, and sunflower. Most processed foods, fast foods, and restaurant foods are prepared with these refined oils.
Although our bodies need some omega-6s for proper functioning, too much omega-6s contribute to inflammation. The more omega-6s you eat, the more omega-3s you need to maintain optimal health. It is now well understood that a deficiency of omega-3s leads to many diseases and disorders, many of which improve when omega-3s supplementation is used. These include:
Arthritis (osteo- and rheumatoid)
Asthma
Immune disorders
Brain disorders (depression, anxiety, mood swings, bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, Alzheimer's, ADHD, and ADD)
Cancer (breast, prostate, testicular, and ovarian)
Crohn's disease and inflammatory bowel disorders
Diabetes
Heart disease
High blood pressure
Premature birth and low birth weight
Skin disorders (acne and psoriasis)
Getting Your Omega-3s From Fish
Fish like tuna, mackerel, lake trout, salmon, anchovies, herrings, and sardines have the highest concentration of omega-3s. Unfortunately, most fish, especially the larger ones, are heavily contaminated with mercury.
Mercury can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system of people of all ages. It is especially toxic to unborn babies and young children.
Therefore, the only recommended fish for regular consumption are wild-caught Alaskan salmon (not the farmed salmon), anchovies, herrings, and sardines. If you want to get your omega-3s from eating fish, make sure the fish is a wild-caught, non-threatened specie that is low on the food chain and came from pristine, clean waters; otherwise, you may run the risk of mercury poisoning in the long-run.
Aside from seafood, another option is to eat meats from grass-fed animals. Studies show that grass-fed beef contains omega-3s in 7% of its fat, versus just 1% in grain or corn-fed beef.
Is Flax A Good Source Of Omega-3s?
Many vegetarians prefer to consume flax to get their omega-3s. Flax seed contains ALA (alpha linolenic acid), a precursor to EPA and DHA in omega-3s, which means the body has to convert the ALA to make EPA and DHA.
Though flax seed is omega-3-rich, in reality, the biological effects of ALA is not equivalent to the omega-3s found in fish oil. Many people, especially vegans and those who are not in good health, are not efficient in the conversion. This results in excess levels of ALA in the body, which may not be beneficial. Therefore, flax should not be consumed in excess.
What's more, flax seed oil goes rancid easily and has to be stored in opaque, airtight containers in the refrigerator. You should only buy cold-pressed, unrefined flax oil and it should never be used in cooking. If the oil has a noticeable odor, it has probably turned bad and should be discarded.
In short, unless you have an allergy to fish, it is much preferable to consume the omega-3s from fish oil. If you are a vegan, there are DHA supplements derived from algae. However, you should also pair it with flax to get the ALA and EPA.
How To Look For A Quality Fish Oil Supplement
Be aware that taking fish oil supplements over a long period of time may cause a deficiency in vitamin E. Therefore, most fish oil supplements include extra amounts of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherols).
You should not take cod liver oil for two reasons. First, the fish's liver is the filter for the body and may contain higher levels of toxins such as PCBs, dioxins, and heavy metals. Second, cod liver oil contains excessive vitamin A which can lead to toxicity if taken in excess.
It is important that the supplements are derived from fish that are not contaminated with mercury and are naturally high in DHA and EPA omega-3s. A good supplement will usually disclose the types of fish being used. It should state that it has been purified or molecularly distilled to remove potential contaminants.
It is not worthwhile to buy an omega-3-6-9 blend. As stated above, we get plenty of omega-6s in our diet. Unless your diet is extremely low in fat, it is not necessary to supplement with omega-6s. Omega-9s are found most abundantly in olive oil and our bodies can also make them. Therefore, it will be more economical to spend your money on a supplement that has a higher concentration of DHA and EPA per serving.
The supplement should not have any fillers and junk ingredients. Make sure it doesn't have a long list of ingredients. If an ingredient looks foreign or you can't pronounce the name, it's probably not good. Do not buy a supplement that contains soybean, safflower, or sunflower oil.
Recommendations. Here are three omega-3s supplements that fit the above requirements - Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega, Carlson Labs Super Omega-3 Gems, and Spectrum Essentials. (Author is not associated with any of these manufacturers.)
How To Choose Your Omega-3s?
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www.iChange.com iChange Registered Nutritionist Linda Miner explains how to naturally manage Candida Albicans with products such as probiotics, grapefruit seed extract, full spectrum enzymes, ground flax seeds, oil of oregano
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