Good for your
heart, brain and more
It is widely acknowledged that the best source of Omega-3 is from cold-water high-fat fish, such as salmon, trout, sardines and anchovies. There are a number of reasons for this, but the most important is probably how easy it is for our bodies to absorb, also known as the bioavailability.
Once we have consumed Omega-3 and Omega-6, our bodies convert them into several derivatives.
These derivatives are vital for brain, adrenal, nerve, sexual health and much more. Some of these derivatives are also used in the body to make prostaglandins, which are vital for good hormonal functioning.
However, recent research has raised concerns that the conversion rate is now very limited. For much of the population, less than 5% of Omega-3 is converted to EPA, and less than 0.5% to DHA. Those numbers drop even further for people in poor health.
This is why cold-water high-fat fish such as salmon is seen as the best source of Omega-3. These fish already have plenty of DHA and EPA derivatives in their oils, which means our bodies can source these essential fats directly. If you take fish oil as a supplement with a high-fat meal, you can increase absorption of EPA and DHA by as much as 40%.
Omega-3 (%) | DHA (%) | EPA (%) | |
Seal* | 20 | 8 | 7 |
Krill | 25 | 7 | 14 |
Cod liver | 25 | 12 | 8 |
Wild salmon | 25 | 10 | 10 |
Farmed salmon | 8 | 3 | 3 |
Source: ArcticSource1
* It is no longer legal to sell products derived from seal in most parts of the world. However, seal is included here as the meat and oil was an important part of the Inuit diet in the past. Before the introduction of the Western diet, the Alaskan Inuits showed very few signs depression or degenerative disease, despite the long, dark winter months.
For the body to process EPA and DHA effectively, we need vitamins B3, B6, C and A, magnesium and zinc. Good sources of these are:
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