Omega 3 Health Benefits

You’ve probably heard a lot about Omega 3’s and fish oil supplements in the past little while and although a few recent studies have shown that some fish oils can contain heavy metals like mercury, we should not overlook the fact that this is not always the case and as a consumer we can make an educated decision for us and our families.

I should preface this article by defining Omega 3’s as essential fatty acids, meaning that our bodies cannot create them and we must obtain them from our diet. So what are all the health benefits of Omega 3’s anyway and is fish oil the best source?

Omega 3 Health Benefits

Omega 3 fatty acids play a very important role in cellular growth and development as well as playing a crucial role in brain function. Latest studies back up the fact that Omega 3’s are vital in reducing inflammation and thereby possibly reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, arthritis and even cancer.

Physiologically speaking, Omega 3’s are mostly concentrated in the brain and have shown to be important for cognitive (brain performance & memory) and behavioral function.

I like to highlight this part because as you know losing weight and staying motivated to get into the gym requires a lot of focus and willpower to succeed, so if Omega 3’s can help in any way with our success then why not pay a little more attention to our intake of them?!

Furthermore, although scientific studies show no direct biological relation to Omega’s causing weight loss, the mental benefits are not even considered which I believe is a miss in the scientific community.

Are Plant Sources of Omega 3’s better than Fish Oils?

Although there has been a lot of media hype with regards to build up of mercury in fish oil, researchers from Harvard’s School of Public Health conducted an extensive review and reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (2006) that the benefits of fish intake generally far outweigh the potential risks.

So the next question you may be asking is what about Omega 3’s from plants such as flax seeds? The Center for Science in the Public Interest reports that “the omega-3s that FDA considers healthful (DHA and EPA) aren’t found in plants such as flax seed. Interesting because all along if you were thinking like me Omega 3’s are Omega 3’s right? Well now we know better.

Ok, we’re going to go for the best of the best with fish oil how can we chose the healthiest of products? Well we can avoid most toxins reported in mostly farmed fish by choosing to buy deep sea wild fish instead (or supplements made of these fish).

After doing a little research I found that Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega is by far one of the top consumer rated Omega 3 supplements in the market. All their products have gone through 3rd party testing to make sure that their supplements pass even the most stringent standards when it comes to screening for heavy metals and dioxins. Plus their supply of fish is from Norway were cold water fish are the least polluted and to take it even further the oil is molecularly distilled for purity to ensure none of these chemicals are present.