Omega-3s are like vitamins – they are important for brain function and metabolism, but they are not produced in the body and must be obtained from food. While supplementing with omega-3s doesn’t provide any benefit, it’s about covering the recommended daily allowance.
In fact, the lack of Omega-3 in the diet is one of the indicators of an improper diet, poor marine fish. Taking fish oil capsules can help solve this problem. How to drink such capsules – before or after meals? How long? You will find the answers in the material.
What is Omega-3?
Omega-3s are a type of fat that is critical for human metabolism but cannot be produced by the body. To maintain health, it is necessary to regularly eat foods containing omega-3 fatty acids – first of all, sea fish and oils of some plants.
Fish oil is the most convenient form of Omega-3 supplementation. It is 5-10 times better absorbed than fatty acids from flaxseed oil, chia seeds, avocados, and other plant sources. To cover the daily requirement of Omega-3, you can take either fish oil in capsules, or just eat fish regularly.
In turn, Omega-3 capsules differ from fish oil in that the content of active ingredients in them is analyzed – this helps to more accurately comply with the recommended daily dosage. In addition, Omega-3 capsules may be superior to fish oil in terms of absorption.
Omega-3 – briefly
- Subspecies of fats (fatty acids)
- Needed for metabolism but not produced in the body
- There are about 5 different types of Omega-3s
- Omega-3 sources differ in the degree of assimilation
Recommended daily intake
For adults, the minimum daily intake of Omega-3 is 0.25 g (250 mg). The optimal dose for health is 1 g (1000 mg). The maximum safe figure depends on the sources of Omega-3 – no more than 7-8 g per day in the form of fish oil in capsules and almost unlimited in the form of regular food.
Recommended daily Omega-3 values:
- Children up to 12 months – 0.5g
- Children from 1 to 3 years old – 0.7g
- Children from 4 to 8 years old – 0.9g
- Children from 9 to 13 years old – 1 – 1.2g
- Children from 14 to 18 years old – 1.2 – 1.6g
- Adults from 18 to 50 years old – 1.2 – 1.6g
How to take Omega-3 correctly?
Omega-3 fats are needed by the body all the time – the recommendation that fish oil should be taken in cycles is erroneous. The time of admission does not matter – you can drink the capsules both in the morning and in the evening. Traditionally, fish oil is taken before meals (or with food) so as not to distinguish the taste.
However, it is important to note that the lack of Omega-3 is one of the indicators that the diet is built incorrectly. The intake of fish oil capsules is not able to outweigh the harm created by an unhealthy diet, consisting mainly of fast carbohydrates and poor in vegetables and natural fish.
1. Eat more fish
About 30-50% of the fats of salmon, and other marine fish are omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids – the fatter the fish, the more useful substance it contains. To cover the need for Omega-3, you need to eat 100-150 g of sea fish 2-3 times a week.
2. Eat plant-based Omega-3s
The leaders in the content of vegetable Omega-3s are chia seed oils – 60-65% of their composition falls on fatty acids important for health. Flaxseed oil is about 55% Omega-3, hemp oil is 20%, and walnut oil and canola oil are 10%. You can find a table of omega-3 content in products below.
3. Eat nuts regularly
Plant-based omega-3s are found not only in oils but also in nuts. Walnuts lead the way, followed by pecans, pistachios, and macadamia. Macadamia nuts have a unique chocolate flavor and a pleasant vanilla aroma.
4. Take Omega-3 constantly
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to combat inflammation. It is not enough to “take” them in a course every few months since they cannot accumulate in the body. The best solution would be to normalize the diet and periodically take fish oil capsules.
5. Fish oil capsules are not a cure
The benefits of fish oil for metabolism appear only when you cover the existing deficiency in the body. Regular intake of higher doses of omega-3 capsules not only has no beneficial effects but can also be toxic.
6. Don’t go for a low price
Cheap fish oils may contain too few active ingredients. It is likely that you will have to take several capsules at once to cover your daily requirement for Omega-3 – which will be more expensive. Trust fish oil capsules exclusively from well-known brands – and check the composition on the package.
Omega-3 rich foods
Omega-3 fatty acids come from plants and animals. Plants include ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), and animals include DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). Studies show that only 10-20% of plant-based omega-3s can be absorbed by the body¹.
That is why sea fish, as well as fish oil capsules, are preferable to taking than plant sources of Omega-3. At the same time, farm salmon can be considered even more useful than wild salmon – beta-carotene is used to give a reddish color, and fish contains vitamin A, which is important for immunity and metabolism.
| Food | Omega-3 Content | ALA | DHA | EPA |
| Flaxseed oil, tablespoon | 7.3g | 7.3g | – | – |
| Chia seeds, 30g | 5g | 5g | – | – |
| Walnuts, 30g | 2.6g | 2.6g | – | – |
| Salmon, cooked, 100g | 1.5 – 1.8g | – | 1.2 – 1.3g | 0.3 – 0.5g |
| Herring, cooked, 100g | 1.6 – 1.8g | – | 0.9 – 1g | 0.7 – 0.8g |
| Canola oil, tablespoon | 1.3g | 1.3g | – | – |
| Canned sardines, 100g | 1.1 – 1.3g | – | 0.7 – 0.8g | 0.4 – 0.5g |
| Trout, cooked, 100g | 0.8 – 0.9g | – | 0.4 – 0.5g | 0.4g |
| Sea bass, cooked, 100g | 0.5 – 0.7g | – | 0.4 – 0.5g | 0.1 – 0.2g |
| Shrimps, cooked, 100g | 0.2 – 0.3g | – | 0.15g | 0.15g |
| Canned tuna, 100g | 0.1 – 0.3g | – | 0.1 – 0.2g | 0.05g |
| Beef, cooked, 100g | 0.05g | 0.05g | – | – |
Flaxseed oil as a source of Omega-3
Despite the fact that flaxseed oil (just like flaxseed) contains a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids, only a small proportion of these will be fully absorbed by the body. To cover the daily requirement, it is important to drink at least a tablespoon of flaxseed oil per day.
The same goes for chia seeds – to cover the daily requirement of Omega-3, you need to consume at least 30 g of such seeds per day. Although it is most practical to cover the need for these fatty acids through the content in various sources – including fish oil.
Best fish oil capsules
When choosing the best fish oil capsules, pay attention to the content of eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) fatty acids in the composition, as well as the recommended dosage. Keep in mind that the RDA is approximately 1g of omega-3s per day in the form of EPA and DHA.
In an effort to make the product cheaper, manufacturers often reduce the amount of active ingredients. Despite the fact that fish oil packaging will mention that you will need to take several capsules at once to cover the daily requirement, the buyer will not pay any attention to this.
The quality of raw materials and technologies also plays a role – starting from which particular fish this fat was extracted from and ending with the quality of the capsule itself. Good capsules are distinguished by a thick shell that breaks down in the stomach and minimizes aftertaste – unlike liquid fish oil, which must be drunk with spoons.
Omega-3s are like vitamins in that they are important for metabolism, but cannot be produced in the body and must be consumed regularly through food. The daily norm of Omega-3 is about 1-1.2 g per day, and the conversion of the dosage to fish oil should be carried out taking into account the content of active ingredients.