Omega 3 fatty acids for overall health!

Fats have had negative connotations for years and are increasingly being avoided in daily food choices. As a result, total fat intake in the western diet has been greatly reduced in recent years. But by no means all types of fats are bad. Moreover, their presence is crucial for various processes in the body and energy metabolism.

What are omega 3 fatty acids?

Omega 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids. These essential fatty acids are needed by the body, but we cannot produce them ourselves. As a result, we depend on food or dietary supplements to supply them.

Omega 3 is a collection of different fatty acids, the most well-known being EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). These are found in oily fish such as salmon and shellfish such as krill, among others. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is found in vegetable oils such as walnuts, flaxseed oil and soybean oil. Your body can convert ALA to EPA and DHA. But this conversion happens inefficiently so only a limited amount of the ALA is converted.

Other essential fatty acids are omega 6 fatty acids such as linoleic acid (LA) or arachidonic acid (AA). Vegetable oils, such as sunflower oil and rapeseed oil, are particularly high in omega 6 fatty acids.

Interestingly, the intake of omega 6 fatty acids has increased over the years in our western diet, in contrast to the intake of omega 3, which has decreased. The reason for this is the rising consumption of processed foods such as ready-made meals, fast food and biscuits. This upsets the balance between omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids. A good balance is important for inflammatory responses in the body, among other things. However, in the Western diet, this ratio is much higher (15-25:1) than the recommended ratio of omega 6 and omega 3 of 2-6:1 (Belgian recommendations (2003)). To restore this balance, it is important to take in more omega 3 fatty acids and to be aware of the omega 6 fatty acids present in the diet.

The multifaceted effects of omega 3 fatty acids

Omega 3 are true all-rounders in the body. Both EPA and DHA have a positive impact on heart health. In fact, when the heart has sufficient EPA and DHA, it has better adaptability. They also help maintain normal blood triglyceride levels and normal blood pressure. In addition, DHA is a building material for the grey matter in the brain and the rods in the retina, making this omega 3 fatty acid essential for brain and eye development in babies and maintaining cognitive functions and vision in later life. Indeed, DHA is concentrated in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, parts of the brain that participate in processes such as memory and learning.

What is best to pay attention to when it comes to supplements?

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends an intake of at least 2 fish meals per week or 250-500 mg of omega 3 (DHA+EPA) per day. However, the Western diet is characterized by high meat consumption and low fish consumption, among other things. Moreover, the omega fatty acid content in fish depends on the type of fish, its origin and preparation method. For instance, farmed fish contain less omega 3 than wild fish, and frying or baking fish can further reduce omega levels. An omega supplement can then help provide sufficient fatty acids for the body in a balanced way.

With fish oil, it is best to choose a pure and stable oil where the fatty acids occur in natural triglyceride form rather than as ethyl esters. An example of this is a full-spectrum salmon oil, this natural oil contains all 21 fatty acids and omegas in triglyceride form and thus offers all the benefits of fresh fish. So, with full-spectrum fish oil, you have not just omega 3 but the full natural range of nutrients as provided by nature.

Another possibility is the easily absorbable phospholipid form as in krill oil. Here, the omega 3 fatty acids are bound to phospholipids. Phospholipids are structural fats that contain both a hydrophobic side and a hydrophilic side. These are also the constituents that make up cell membranes in the body. This allows phospholipids to migrate easily through cell membranes and consequently also easily through the intestinal wall. Because of this mechanism, omega 3 fatty acids from krill are therefore even more absorbable than omega 3 fatty acids from other sources.

OmegaSan 3

• Fish oil of the highest possible purity rich in omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in triglyceride form.
• Optimized with vitamin D and high-quality olive extract.
• Highly stable fish oil due to addition of olive extract and low total oxidation value of fatty acids (TOTOX value typically < 5).
• Smooth absorption and high bioavailability of EPA and DHA thanks to triglyceride form.
• Each softgel contains 1000 mg of purified fish oil standardized to ≥80% omega 3, ≥40% EPA and ≥30% DHA in triglyceride form.

OmegaSan Family

• Tasty, orange-flavoured omega and vitamin D3 gummies for the whole family.
• Natural and sustainably sourced full-spectrum salmon oil: offers the only full spectrum of fatty acids and omegas naturally present in fresh salmon.
• For children from three years of age
• Sugar-free
• Each gummy contains 500 mg of full-spectrum salmon oil standardized to >78% total omega: 70 mg omega 3, 15 mg DHA and 10 mg EPA and also 10 mcg vitamin D3.

Nutrisan Krill Oil

• Natural wholefood omega 3 from Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) of proven quality, provides EPA and DHA as well as other interesting compounds from krill, including phospholipids, choline and astaxanthin.
• Better absorption of the omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, making a lower daily intake sufficient.
• No fishy taste or belching, and the ideal omega 3 for individuals who have difficulty digesting fats.
• Easy to swallow and completely odourless capsules.