Comparing Fish Oil Supplements: A Checklist |
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Let’s face it; our health is the most important asset we have. Fish oil supplements can help in a big way in maintaining our health naturally. The problem is, there are so many options to choose from if you want to buy one, and it becomes really difficult to actually make the right choice. This checklist will help you decide which fish oil supplement you should choose. First, a little background so that we can better understand the factors involved. Fish oil primarily contains three main fatty acids: 1) DHA (Docosahexanoic Acid) 2) EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) 3) DPA (Docosapentaenoic acid) It’s the quantity and quality of these fatty acids in the fish oil supplements that decide how good and effective the supplements will be. Let’s find out now what to check in them: Check the source of the fish used in the supplement Fish oil can contain a lot of impurities depending on the location from which the fish used was sourced. Heavy industrialization has polluted the sea waters, which leads to the fishes, too, containing a lot of these pollutants. A good fish oil supplement would source its fish from unpolluted waters. Check if the fish oil has been molecularly distilled As we just discussed, fish oil can contain a lot of impurities like lead and PCBs. Even the fish from the purest of waters may contain some natural pollutants. Molecular distillation removes most of these impurities and makes sure you get the purest possible fish oil. This is a complex and expensive process though, and not all companies would be doing it. Check the quantity of DHA per dose DHA is the single most important component of the fish oil. This fatty acid is what is responsible for most of the health benefits that fish oil provides us. You need to compare how much DHA a bottle of the supplement provides you. Compare this figure with other supplements that you come across. A supplement with higher levels of this nutrient should ideally be your choice. Check if the DHA quantity is more than the EPA quantity There are two reasons for this - One, DHA is the more important one out of these two nutrients, so it should be the dominant ingredient in fish oil supplements. Two, the body can convert DHA into EPA if the need be, but not the other way around. It’s a simple chemical process for DHA to EPA conversion, but the reverse is not possible for our body. Your next step? To take what you’ve just learned and compare the fish oil supplements available on these factors. This could be the single most important thing you do for your and your family’s health. |
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