Only ten percent of us eat the amount of seafood we should (that’s right, 90 percent of us don’t!). We should all eat at least two servings of seafood, especially oily fish, per week, according to the American Heart Association.
Oily fish like salmon, sardines, herring, and mackerel are prime sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential nutrients that support the health of our heart, skin, brain, and body. eyes and our immune system. our goals.
If fish isn’t on your plate every week, you may want to consider taking a fish oil or omega-3 supplement to help fill these nutritional gaps. Sports dietitian Christopher Mohr, Ph.D., RD recommends a supplement containing at least 500 milligrams combined of EPA and DHA for general health. To find the best omega-3 supplements, we spoke to RDN and NOW wellness experts Mohr and Dawn Jackson Blatner to find out what to look for in a quality capsule, gummy or oil .
Our main recommendations
Omega-3 Supplements and Fish Oil Supplements
All fish oil supplements contain omega-3 fatty acids, but not all omega-3 supplements are derived from fish oil. Here’s why:
“All fish oil provides the omega 3s EPA and DHA, but EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) can also come from other sources, including algae,” says Mohr. “And EPA and DHA are the important components of omega 3 as a whole, which means when you look at fish oil supplement labels, you want to make sure that you’re looking at those two numbers, that you’re looking at them. add them up, and then you use them when determining your dose,” he says.
Best Overall: Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega 2X
Amazon
Portion: 2 capsules | EPA: 1,125 mg | ADH: 875 mg | Third Party Tested: Yes
What we like: The brand is very transparent about the origin of its omega-3 and provides a certificate of analysis (COA) which attests to the purity and quality of the product.
What there is to know: It’s expensive, around $1.70 per serving.
Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega 2X provides 1,125 mg of EPA and 875 mg of DHA from wild anchovies and sardines. It contains a total of 2,150 mg of omega-3 in a two-capsule serving to help support total body health. A study, published in JAHA— found that taking between 2,000 and 3,000 mg of omega-3 per day can help lower blood pressure.
We also like that this high-dose pill is lemon flavored, so you won’t have burps or a fishy aftertaste while taking them.
Nordic Naturals sets itself apart from its competitors by being very transparent about the origin of its fish oil, and its fish oil is certified sustainable by the renowned Friend of the Sea (FOS) organization. Each product comes with a Certificate of Analysis (COA) that shows a third party tests the supplement for purity, potency, and freshness, so you know it’s free of contaminants like PCBs and heavy metals. Additionally, anchovies and sardines naturally contain less mercury than other oily fish that are larger. To get your bottle’s COA, simply search for its batch number on the Nordic Naturals website.
Also great: OceanBlue Professional Omega-3 2100
Amazon
Portion: Two capsules | EPA: 1,350 mg | ADH: 600 mg | Third Party Tested: Yes
What we like: It provides a high dose of omega-3 and is produced in a cGMP facility.
What there is to know: The brand states that the product is free of toxins like PCBs and heavy metals, but does not provide a COA.
OceanBlue Professional Omega-3 2100 is another supplement that delivers a therapeutic dose of omega-3, which is why we recommend it. You’ll get 1,350 mg of EPA and 600 mg of DHA in just two convenient capsules. OceanBlue produces its supplements in a facility that adheres to Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), which are enforced by the FDA and guarantees product strength, quality and purity. OceanBlue products are free of heavy metals, PCBs and other toxins. In fact, OceanBlue’s parent company, KD Pharma, undergoes third-party testing and recently achieved first place in the AOCS Laboratories Proficiency Program for GOED Nutraceutical Oils, confirming that the oils in these supplements are of superior quality.
For such a high-dose supplement, this choice is economical, costing less than a dollar per serving. The pills have a natural orange flavor, which helps minimize the fishy aftertaste and burping that often accompanies fish oil supplements. You will take two capsules per day with meals.
Best Softgel: NOW Ultra Omega-3 Fish Softgels (Fish Gelatin)
Amazon
Portion: A capsule | EPA: 500 mg | ADH: 250 mg | Third Party Tested: Yes
What we like: This soft gel is made with a fish gelatin coating (as opposed to cow or pork gelatin), so it’s a great option for pescatarians.
What there is to know: Other supplements contain a higher dose of EPA and DHA.
We like that NOW supplements are backed by a handful of certifications that attest to the quality of the brand. Ultra Omega-3 supplement is produced in a cGMP facility and certified by both Underwriters Laboratories (UL), which tests supplements and validates their claims regarding supplement ingredients, and by the World Organization for EPA and DHA (GOED), which sets high standards. to ensure that omega-3 products are free from harmful levels of toxins and contaminants.
Fish oil comes from anchovies and sardines, two fish naturally low in mercury and high in omega-3. These soft gels are made with a fish gelatin coating instead of gelatin from cows or pigs, so they’re a great option for pescatarians. They also contain lemon oil to help mask the fishy flavor. Although the serving size on the bottle is one capsule per day, you can take two per day for a more therapeutic dose.
Best Liquid: Carlson’s Finest Fish Oil
iHerb
Portion: 1 teaspoon | EPA: 800 mg | ADH: 500 mg | Third Party Tested: Yes
What we like: It comes in four different flavors and has won an award for its great taste; plus, it’s made with sustainably sourced fish.
What there is to know: Each teaspoon contains 40 calories, which is a bit higher than what you would get from a capsule.
If you don’t like swallowing soft gels, Mohr recommends Carlson’s liquid omega-3 supplement as a great alternative that doesn’t taste fishy. It comes in four different flavors: lemon, orange, mixed berry, and just peach. One teaspoon is a single serving and contains 800 mg of EPA and 500 mg of DHA from sustainably sourced wild-caught anchovies, sardines and mackerel. It also contains 45 percent of your daily value (DV) of vitamin E, a nutrient that supports skin and brain health.
Carlson’s The Very Finest Fish Oil is third-party tested in an FDA-registered laboratory for freshness, potency and purity, and certified by IFOS (the International Fish Oil Standards Program) , which is an independent testing and certification program that sets high standards. for purity, effectiveness and freshness on a global scale. This product is also GMO-free and certified by the IGEN GMO assessment program as well as FOS, which ensures that the fish oil comes from sustainable sources.
Best Gummy: Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega Gummy Chews
Amazon
Portion: 2 candies | EPA: 600 mg | ADH: 450 mg | Third Party Tested: Yes
What we like: They contain no sugar and provide a high dose of omega-3 in an easy-to-take gummy form.
What there is to know: These gummies are sweetened with xylitol, erythritol and stevia.
An alternative for those who aren’t fans of capsules, these tropical fruit gummies taste great and are easy to take every day. Two gummies make up a single serving and contain 600 mg of EPA and 450 mg of DHA from anchovies and sardines. “Many gummies don’t provide high levels of EPA and DHA, but this one is different and is one, if not THE“The highest dose of omega 3 of any gummies,” says Mohr.
Although gummy supplements are typically high in added sugar, they are sweetened with calorie-free xylitol, erythritol, and stevia—and each serving of two gummies contains only 15 calories, coming entirely from the fat in the gummy supplement. fish oil. These sugar-free gummies taste great and don’t cause belching.
Best Vegan: OceanBlue Professional Omega-3 1300 Vegan
Amazon
Portion: 2 capsules | EPA: 950 mg | ADH: 350 mg | Third Party Tested: Yes
What we like: It contains the highest concentration of EPA and DHA in a vegan omega-3 supplement.
What there is to know: It’s expensive compared to other omega-3 supplements, at around $1.60 per serving.
Fish get their omega-3 content from the algae they eat, so if seafood isn’t part of your menu, you can go straight to the source with a vegan omega-3 supplement made from algae. OceanBlue Professional Omega-3 1300 Vegan has the highest potency of any algae supplement on the market with 950 mg EPA and 350 mg DHA per serving. “For those who don’t want to take fish oil, this vegan option offers significantly higher doses of EPA and DHA than many others,” says Mohr, adding that it also received the Nutraingredients Winner award 2023 for its innovation and quality.
OceanBlue harvests its microalgae from sustainable sources, the supplement is manufactured according to cGMP standards and is free of heavy metals, PCBs and other toxins. Don’t forget that OceanBlue’s parent company, KD Pharma Group, also achieved first place in the AOCS Laboratory Competency Program for GOED Nutraceutical Oils.
Additionally, this supplement is free of gluten, all major allergens, and artificial flavors and colors. The capsule coating is vegan, composed of modified food starch, carrageenan, vegetable glycerin and sorbitol. Orange oil is added to their formulation to mask the natural flavor of the seaweed and help prevent fish burps.
Best for Kids: Barlean’s Omega Pals High Potency Fish Oil
Amazon
Portion: 1.5 teaspoons | EPA: 455 mg | ADH: 295 mg | Third Party Tested: Yes
What we like: That’s about a full day of…
News Source : www.eatingwell.com
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