[?] Subscribe To This Site

Fish Oil Supplements - How to Choose

The fish oil supplements (Updated 2-22-10) on the market today come from many sources. The problem is, the fishing industry has changed over the years and many fisheries are no longer ethical. The fish oil manufacturing industry seems to have that same pattern resulting in products that are reduced in effectiveness.

Looking at both the fishing and manufacturing industries, I'd like to shed a little light on what to look for in choosing the omega 3 fish oil supplements.

Avoid Fish Oils from Polluted Waters

You want to ensure you are getting non-toxic fish oils. Some parts of our oceans are polluted with heavy metals, pesticides and PCB's. You are at risk if the fish oils still contain these toxins. Look for validation on the bottle for certification of being "free" from these poisonous elements. Companies do third party certifications. Where this certification is not on the label, don't buy them.

Reputable companies process the fish oils by breaking the oil down to the molecular level and eliminating the toxic substances. During this process they also eliminate valuable nutrients. There are only a few isolated nutrients that have been determined as being valuable by various scientific studies. The main ingredients looked for in fish oils these days are EPA and DHA (omega 3 elements), and then Vitamin A and D.

After breaking down the oils and saving only those molecular elements like EPA and DHA, their fish oil supplements pass certification for non-toxicity.

I have used many of these products and did get some value from them.

Look for Sustainable Fisheries

We are moving toward a time on this planet where we have to consider more than man's survival. There have always been various individuals forming groups to watch out for other life forms. But today, it takes more than those few. Living in an industrial era, we are consumers whose time is coming to an end of blind responsibility.

Ocean Ecosystem

Definition

Ecosystem: organisms and their environment: a localized group of interdependent organisms together with the environment that they inhabit and depend on.
-Encarta Dictionary

We must think of our ecosystems both on land and sea. I am hearing word that recklace fish farms are destroying the natural waters in parts of our oceans. These waters are where the smallest of sea life begin. These small life forms support the next in line - moving on up the food chain to become gigantic sea creatures - the whale.

The krill are a tiny shell-like fish that are food for the whale. Krill are a pretty good source of omega 3 oils. But... I have not found any mention of krill fisheries being certified by the Marine Stewardship Council for responsible fishing practices. They would be recognized by the MSC symbol on their product label.

Fish Oil Capsules

Here you see vats of fish oils to be packaged for sale. We are faced with a choice here.

If we continue our rate of consumption without thought to exchange, we will run out of quality food on this planet.

When considering fish oil supplements, support sustainable fisheries to do your part.

Other Life Forms Rely on Fish from the Sea

As you can see here, the grizzly bear takes his turn at fishing the streams where full grown salmon make their way back in fresh waters to lay their eggs.

Fishing Grizzly Bears

We have salmon fisheries that are poisoning the waters with their unethical fish farms. The surrounding natural salmon fisheries will fade away.

We cannot support unethical behavior whether it be for fish as food or fish oil supplementation. It's time to put an end to irresponsible behavior. We do that with our purchasing power.

So What's Our Choice?

After doing a lot of research and experiencing a number of high quality products on the market, we discovered that high potency is not always the best choice. Our interest is maintaining a normal active body throughout life. We are NOT interested in curing a disease. We leave that to health care professionals.

I discovered a fish oil supplement where the oil was not broken down to the molecular level. Instead it was left in tact and the toxicity negligible. The array of nutrients included are tremendous in number.

Here is an interview I'd like to share with you to give you a better idea of what I'm talking about.

Fish Radio Interview

"Fish Radio" interviews Randy Hartnell, founder of Vital Choice, a company which has been distributing wild seafood for years. They have been supporting sustainable fisheries as well as working to protect our oceans.

Fish Radio Interview with Randy Hartnell

Vital Choice Sockeye Salmon Oil

Here's a picture of the Vital Choice salmon oil capsules.

As you can see, they are quite colorful, giving you the true color of the oil inside. That orange color is astaxanthin, a natural antioxidant pigment found in Pacific Coast salmon.

You can learn more about this supplement by visiting this page on the Vital Choice website.

For Even More Nutrition and Omega 3's

If you like to eat fish, you can get even more omega 3 support. We get both the wild salmon and the salmon oil supplements from Vital Choice.

Our favorite is the wild caught sockeye salmon, skinless and boneless. They freeze it on the spot and there is such a difference. No fishy smell.

I feel by eating this salmon once or twice a week, plus taking the salmon oil, we are getting a really good supply of nutrients that will ensure we are providing enough of the right fish oils for mental acuity as we age.

Please feel free to email me if you have questions or comments. I am always happy to respond.

Return to the Natural Healthy Eating Home Page from Fish Oil Supplements

footer for fish oil supplements page