![]() If think you might already be consuming a sufficient amount of these fatty acids, consider taking an omega-3 index test to find out if you are right. This is all to say, if you are like most Americans, you probably need to consider omega-3 supplements. In other words, consumers eating farmed fish now have to eat twice as much fish to get the same amount of omega-3s provided just a few years before! For instance, the BBC reported in 2016 that over a five-year period, the omega-3 levels in farmed salmon shrank by 50% because the industry was cutting down on costs (4). If the salmon is farm raised, however, its nutritional value can vary tremendously depending on the provider. However, you would still expect a wild-caught salmon to contain a substantial amount of omega-3s. With a wild caught salmon, the amount of omega-3s can vary somewhat depending on the season and the type of salmon. Let’s take the example of eating salmon for dinner. In addition, other factors - like whether the fish was farm raised or wild caught, the season, and the cooking method - can all significantly impact the omega-3 content as well. Some of the most popular seafood options - like shrimp or tilapia - contain almost no omega-3 fatty acids. Many people say they don’t eat fish because they follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, are unsure of how to prepare it, feel like they can’t afford it, or don’t care for the taste or texture.īut even for the people who eat seafood regularly, it can be challenging to get enough omega-3s from diet alone. There are many factors that contribute to why so few Americans get enough omega-3s. But today, there is a clear discrepancy between this often-heard recommendation and reality: Studies show that an estimated 95% of Americans do not get enough omega-3s from their diets (3).īLOG: Are You Getting Enough Omega-3s? New Research Says Probably Not… Myth #2: Eating Fish Is the Best Way to Get Your Omega-3sĮating fatty fish is a wonderful way to increase your omega-3 intake. VIDEO: MYTH – Fish is the Best Source of Omega-3 EPA & DHA This is why eating fatty fish or taking a quality fish oil supplement is far superior in delivering the benefits of omega-3s. More recent research, however, shows that the conversion rate of ALA into EPA and DHA is so low that it’s inconsequential for most people (2). Second, for a long time, it was believed that people had the ability to synthesize EPA and DHA from ALA-based foods. In other words, there just isn’t a lot of science showing that ALA has the same benefits as EPA and DHA. First, almost every omega-3 clinical study to date has focused on EPA and DHA from fish and fish oil. Relying exclusively on ALA-based foods for your omega-3s has several problems. Plant sources, in contrast, contain only one type of omega-3: ALA. Of the foods we commonly eat, only fatty fish (and breast milk for babies) contain the full range of the omega-3 family, including the best-known EPA and DHA molecules. When we talk about omega-3, we’re talking about a family of fatty acids. Myth #1: All Omega-3 Sources Are Equally Beneficialįrom salmon to flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts, popular health websites and magazines often claim that there are plenty of ways to get these essential fatty acids.īut not all of these omega-3 sources provide the same value. Let’s clear up 11 common myths about omega-3 fish oil supplements, focusing particularly on dose, source, and freshness. But just as omega-3 fish oil has grown in popularity, so has the misinformation and confusion surrounding this powerful nutrient. Calculate Your Omega-3 Index RequirementsĪccording to the National Center for Health Statistics, fish oil is now the most commonly used non-vitamin, non-mineral supplement in the USA (1). ![]()
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