Are omega-3 and fish oil the same?

Not exactly, but there is some overlap.

“There’s three types ofomega-3 fatty acids,” Cording goes on to say.

Morgan Chamberlain

“There’s ALA, DHA, and EPA.

ALA is a plant source, and then EPA and DHA are both found in animal productsprimarily fish.”

Types of omega-3 supplements.

Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN

“I often recommend an algae-based supplement for them if fish is not an option,” she says.

Like us, fish aren’t able to produce their own EPA and DHA.

A few caveats for algal oil include the omega-3 contribution, cost, and balance.

Flaxseed

Flaxseed oil is another plant-based option for omega-3 supplementation.

(And by regular fish consumption, we meanat least two times a week.)

Fish oil

Fish oil is the concentrated and purified oil fromyou guessed itthe tissue of oily fish.

(By “form,” we mean the punch in or chemical structure of the omega-3 fats.)

The main forms are triglyceride, ethyl ester, and phospholipid.

The native form of fat is triglyceride for fish and humans.

It’s also themost bioavailable form3(i.e., more easily absorbed and accessible to your cells).

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“For fish oil,the triglyceride form is where it’s at,” Ferira shares.

In other words, it’s the form found in nature and native to the fish."

Krill oil

Krill are small, shrimplike crustaceans that, like fish, mostly eat microalgae.

Krill oil contains EPA and DHA in the form of triglycerides and phospholipids.

Interestingly, krill have a very short lifespan and don’t accumulate many toxins.

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What is the best throw in of omega-3 supplement?

Omega-3 supplements are not one-size-fits-all.

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The takeaway.

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