Algae Oil is the New Fish Oil
We all know that fish contains those fabled omega-3 fatty acids that our bodies need. That’s why fish is “so healthy” for us, right? Well, it turns out there’s a better way to get your omega-3, and it involves going straight to the original source: Algae.
Just like how a cow gets its calcium from the plants it eats, fish get their omega-3 from the algae they eat. And if they aren’t eating algae directly, they’re eating it indirectly somewhere along the food chain.
Fish oil is a great source of omega-3, but like all foods, fish is a package deal. It often comes with contaminants such as PCBs and persistent organic pollutants like pesticides. This may be through no fault of the manufacturer, and rather a side effect of our overly polluted oceans. PCBs and mercury have become unavoidable byproducts of seafood– wild caught or farm-raised, it doesn’t matter.
Studies show that long-chain fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) not only benefit heart health, but perhaps more importantly, they benefit and protect the brain. These fatty acids are essential for memory, cognition, and emotional well-being.
Furthermore, since the advent of cooking oils, most people consume far too many Omega-6 fatty acids. Supplementing with EPA/DHA with fish oil or algae oil can help balance this out. Whether your’e a vegan, omnivore, or flexitarian, you might want to consider getting more omega-3 and less omega-6 in your diet.
There are some ultra-purified fish oil supplements that claim to be virtually free from mercury and PCBs, but for those who are vegan/vegetarian or unwilling to take the risk, there is a better way: Algae-based Omega-3 supplements.
These products essentially cut out the “middle-fish.”
Algae based EPA/DHA supplements can be found on Amazon, or your local natural foods market.
On a personal note, the addition of the supplement Ovega-3 has helped me tremendously throughout my plant-based journey. My first attempt at going vegan failed due to depressive symptoms, which I later figured out was due to an Omega-3 deficiency. Seafood was the last thing to go for me, so when I abruptly ended my fish consumption and increased or maintained my nut and oil consumption, it wreaked mild havoc upon my brain.
As soon as I added an algae-based omega-3 supplement and ground flaxseed (a great source of ALA) my diet, the emotional and cognitive symptoms lifted, and suddenly I didn’t need fish. An omega-3 supplement turned out to the missing ingredient to my vegan diet.
Next time you decide to replenish your fish oil supply, try algae oil instead. At the very least, you’ll reap the same benefits without have to suffer through those fishy burps.
(Note: I am in no way financially invested in or supported by the Ovega-3 company. I’m sure that there are plenty of other fine algae-based EPA/DHA supplements on the market. Ovega-3 is the only one I’ve tried so far, and thus, I can only personally speak to its efficacy).
