4 things to look for when buying omega-3 fish oil

Have you also gotten lost in the maze of omega-3 supplements by now? We feel your struggle . With an abundance of choices on the market, it is often like trying to find a needle in a haystack. You want a good product, but what actually makes an omega-3 supplement high quality?

What is omega 3?

Omega-3 is a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are essential nutrients that our body cannot produce itself, and therefore we must obtain them from food. The three main types of omega-3 fatty acids are ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) , EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). ALA is primarily found in vegetable oils, while EPA and DHA are mainly found in fatty fish.

What is omega-3 good for?

Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA, are good for all sorts of things in our body:

• DHA specifically helps maintain sharp vision and is an important building block for the brain.
• DHA and EPA are good for blood pressure and support the heart.

Do you need an omega-3 supplement?

Determining whether you need an omega-3 supplement depends on several factors. If you regularly eat fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, or herring, you may already have sufficient omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. Do you feel nauseous just thinking about that slippery herring with onions or another (in your eyes) smelly fish? Or do you avoid eating fish due to conscious dietary choices? In that case, it is good to consider how you can supplement your diet. It is advisable to pay attention to a few points while considering this and searching for a high-quality fish oil.

Need an Omega 3 supplement? 4 things to look out for

1. Sustainably sourced with quality mark

Sustainability is an increasingly important topic. This is also true in the fish oil industry. Yet, there are still many omega-3 producers that use whole sardines or anchovies. These fish are ground up whole and will therefore never carry the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) label . Did you know that 30 anchovies are needed to fill just one capsule? This is a huge amount of fish that could otherwise have been used for humans or animals. What a waste, isn't it?

For true sustainability, it is therefore important that we refrain from consuming seafood and do not harm the oceans, the environment, or the local population. A better option is therefore to use fillet trimmings for fish oil after the fish has already been consumed by people.

2. Clean fish oil 

Much of the fish used to make fish oil is caught on the other side of the world, in the plastic soup in the Pacific Ocean between Asia and South America. Did you know that the Barents Sea, between Novaya Zemlya, Spitsbergen, and Northern Norway, is one of the cleanest waters in the world ? It is mainly home to wild cod, from which the trimmings are subsequently used.

However, almost all fish in the world contain some contamination. Therefore, it is important to test for heavy metals, PCBs, and dioxins . Subsequently, these must be purified from the fish oil to obtain an extremely clean oil. Strict quality standards are important for a product like fish oil. For instance, we have the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) system. This system ensures that products are of high quality and meet safety standards.

Next, you want clean, liquid fish oil in good packaging. Preferably in a glass bottle . This way, you can be sure that no hormone-disrupting substances from the plastic can end up in the fish oil.

3. Freshness

The freshness of an oil is also known as the oxidation value . A high oxidation value can be smelled and tasted and causes those unpleasant fishy burps. A fresh oil will never cause a fishy burp. The freshness of fish oil can be accurately measured in a laboratory, expressed as oxidation value or Totox value, which stands for Total Oxidation Value. The lower this value, the better.

Do you see a low Totox value? That means very fresh oil . A low Totox value makes the fish oil taste milder, so no strong artificial flavorings need to be added.

Omega-3 fatty acids are susceptible to damage after production due to exposure to air. Therefore, for a low Totox value, supplementation with antioxidants such as tocopherol-rich extract, rosemary extract, and ascorbyl palmitate (fat-soluble vitamin C) is desirable.

Don't see a Totox value listed on the product or website of your omega-3 supplement? Then you know enough.

4. Natural form: triglycerides!

It is good to check which form the fish oil contains. We know two types:

• Ethyl esters are unstable fats with several disadvantages, such as reduced absorption, a higher risk of oxidation, and possibly a somewhat unpleasant aftertaste. Why are these used? Easy and cheaper.
• The triglyceride form is the natural form as fats occur in nature (i.e., in fish). This form is easily absorbed by your body and is the most stable. If quality is your top priority, this is therefore a good choice.

Which omega-3 do you need?

Now you know what to look for when buying fish oil. Do you prefer a capsule or a liquid fish oil for the whole family? Or do you opt for algae oil instead? Below you will find an overview of the different omega-3 supplements.

Which omega-3 do you need? A comparison of supplements

Which one suits you best? Or rather: which omega-3 do you need in your situation?

In conclusion

Do you eat little to no fatty fish per week? Then an omega-3 supplement might be highly recommended for you. Wondering which omega-3 you need? With this overview, you will be well-prepared to make an informed choice. If you do not get enough, your body is not receiving what it actually needs. It is therefore important to choose a high-quality supplement where sustainability, freshness, and control for contamination are paramount. With this knowledge, it will save you a lot of time figuring out which omega-3 supplement to choose. What is important to you? The choice is yours!