How to Choose a Fish Oil Supplement

The Omega 3 Fatty acids in fish oil make it a highly sought after supplement, which makes it a highly produced product. This high production of the same product can make choosing one specific brand a serious task. Even though there are five thousand products boosting the same name, they are not all the same, and you should take some things in to consideration when looking to invest in an extremely beneficial fish oil supplement.

The differences in these fish oil supplements are subtle little differences that have a major impact on the effectiveness and purity of the supplement. One must keep in mind when purchasing a supplement, fish oil or otherwise, that sometimes you get what you pay for in terms of ingredients. That is not to say you should buy the most expensive product on the market, but when value shopping you must pay very close attention to the ingredients and facts listed on the bottle. Because, sadly when a company creates a cheaper product the ingredients are what suffer. Here are some questions to ask yourself when purchasing fish oil supplements:

What type of fish were used to make this particular fish oil?

This is an extremely important question that your fish oil supplement bottle should answer, if it does not put the bottle back on the shelf…because it should. If it is a cheaper brand of fish oil, than it is most likely failing to mention the type of fish because it has opted to use a cheaper fish, which will result in a lesser effect. The fish that possess the richest amounts of fish oil are tuna, salmon, halibut, sardines, and anchovies.

Does my fish oil list the total amounts of EPA and DHA on the label?

EPA and DHA are essential fatty acids, meaning that they aren’t produced by the body in sufficient quantities and, therefore, must be supplemented.

Exactly where are these fish used to make my fish oil supplement coming from?

Because fish can contain diseases, especially when raised in a captive environment, the manufacturer of the fish oil supplement should know exactly where these fish are coming from, and preferably from a well known reputable fish farm. Sometimes the manufacturer does list this information on the label, but if not you should be able to obtain this information by calling the company.

Were these fish raised in a healthy non-toxic environment?

The manufacturer should display a statement on the bottle about the fish being 100% pure, ensuring the consumer that the fish were raised in a completely safe environment, free of toxins, pesticides, and other harmful chemicals. If this statement is not placed somewhere on the label before buying the product you should contact the manufacturer.

Where exactly was the oil harvested from?

Fish oil supplements should be made from the part of the fish you normally eat…the flesh. Most people aren’t in the habit of eating the fish heads or internal organs and you really don’t want the by product of these areas anyways.

Last but not least, stay away from fish oil that has been molecularly distilled. This distilling process disrupts the natural form of the oil, and it causes the oil to become oxidized. Companies suggest they use this process to remove toxins from the fish, but if the fish were raised in an ideal environment they wouldn’t need this process… would they?

A fish oil supplement should be taken by everyone from grandparents, to parents, to children. The addition of this supplement is a valuable asset to everyone’s daily routine.

Ultimate Omega
One of the most popular fish oil supplements is Ultimate Omega from Nordic Naturals. Their supplements are the cleanest fish oils on the market, are easy to absorb, and the highest available. To Learn more about nutrition and supplements make sure to visit the nutrition blog.