There are mainly two ways for you to get quality fish oil. One is eating fresh fish. The other is taking fish oil supplements. Eating fresh fish, though healthy, means that you need to eat it regularly. And it can come with certain hazards as well.
For one, you have to get wild-caught fish of certain species such as tuna, cod, salmon and halibut. The downside is that these fish can be pricey. Worse, you will be exposing yourself to mercury and other harmful chemicals. Farm-raised fish too come with hazards such as pesticides and antibiotics. So, what is the next best thing?
Your best bet will therefore be to take fish oil supplements. But not just any supplements.
You see, the importance of getting quality fish oil cannot be overemphasized.
How to Find Quality Fish Oil Supplements
You should always read the label of your fish oil or any other supplement. Here's what to look for:
- EPA and DHA amounts: These are the most beneficial fatty acids in fish oil, particularly DHA. Most of the supplements you will find at your local grocery store or pharmacy do not contain enough of these fatty acids.
- Source of the oil: If the label does not say what species of fish the oils are derived from, something may be fishy.
- Freshness: This is the tough one to find out as labels do not typically disclose this. The oil should be processed locally and as soon as possible after the catch. Pretty few manufacturers do this. Rancid fish oil not only tastes and smells terrible, it can be hazardous.
- Purity: Removing toxins and impurities from the oils while preserving the nutrients calls for specialized processing. Molecular distillation is the best known way so far for doing this.
The Benefits
Good quality fish oil will provide you with omega-3 fatty acids, and this can promote good cardiovascular health. Here are just some of the health benefits that you will get.
- Quality fish oil can help reduce triglyceride levels
- It help can help maintain elasticity of your artery walls
- It can help stabilize heart rhythm
- It can help reduces blood pressure
- It can help slows down or reduce the buildup of atherosclerotic plaque
Of course, quality fish oil should contain virtually no contaminants such as mercury PCBs, and lead. This is the why the method of distillation is important.
PCBs are manmade organic chemicals that were used in the industry until they were linked to cancer and subsequently banned in the year 1979. Although this organic chemical is no longer being used, it can accumulate in the environment, and you can find it in plants and fish that have been exposed to soil or water that is contaminated.
For this reason, if you are looking for quality fish oil, the company that is selling the product has to disclose their findings on tests that have been done to trace environmental contaminants. In addition, the supplements should be verified by a third party. The supplement must also have a fresh taste and it should not have a fishy taste.
When buying the supplement, you should look at the date of manufacture because it has a shelf life. You should also check to see if it needs to be refrigerated. Most quality fish oil supplements do not, as they contain antioxidants to prevent them from becoming rancid.
Comments