Omega 3 Fish or Flax Seed?

Flax seed oil omega 3 is one of the best plant based choices to obtain essential fatty acids in our diets.

But most of us have also heard that fish oils are also a great source for omega 3's, which has led some people to question which one they should take. Omega 3 Fish or Flax seed?

The answer is that fish oil is the best choice to get your omega 3's, as long as you're taking a high quality purified fish oil supplement that has used molecular distillation to remove all potential contaminants that are found in fish nowadays due to pollution in the Ocean waters.

However, for strict vegetarians -- vegans -- who, for personal reasons, do not want to use fish products, flax seed oil omega 3 is their best choice for dietary inclusion.

If you are not a vegetarian, however, you should strongly consider purified fish oils over flax seed as your primary omega 3 source for the following reason:

There are three types of omega 3 fats: they are ALA, DHA, and EPA.

DHA and EPA are the most important, and some science is showing that DHA is the more important of the two between DHA and EPA.

In fact, DHA omega fatty acids make up almost 1/3rd of the brain's mass. It's very important for optimal brain development and functioning. And Omega 3's generally are important for heart health as evidenced by statements made from the American Heart Association and Food and Drug Administration.

Omega 3 Fish or Flax Seed?

Flax seed contains ALA, not DHA and EPA. The ALA in flax seed has to be converted by your body into DHA and EPA. For various reasons, this conversion may not happen efficiently, especially if the person is in less than optimal health. This often includes, for example, a significant portion of elderly folks.

Because ALA in flax seed needs to be converted, it's much better to get your DHA and EPA omega 3 fatty acids directly from a source like purified fish oils.

However, flax seed oil omega 3 is still a good souce. In addition, some ALA is used by the body for other functions and is not entirely converted to DHA and EPA. Therefore, it's a good idea to get some omega 3's from plant, vegetable, and fruit sources too.

In addition to flax seed, try adding some good omega 3 sources like almond nuts, or leafy greens like spinach, or fruits like strawberries.

But because the majority of people in the Western world are deficient in Omega 3 fatty acids, it's a good idea to add high quality fish oil supplements to your daily regimen. Most of us simply do not get enough from our diet alone.