The Secret to Choosing the Best Fish Oil From the Sea of Available Products
Many studies make it easy to identify the vast health benefits we could derive from fish oil but selecting the best fish oil is never an easy task. Heart disease prevention, anti-inflammatory properties, and even hair loss prevention are just a few of such health benefits that have been associated with fish oil. For this reason, the fish oil supplement industry has prospered, which has its positive and negative effects.
One positive effect is that these fish oil supplement products are easily accessible to those who are considering to take advantage of their health benefits. The negative effect is that many companies leap on the bandwagon for fast profit by producing low-quality types of fish oil supplements. Selecting a suitable brand is much more difficult with all those brands available.
However, to pick the best fish oil becomes trouble-free by trying to distinguish the better fish oil supplement products from the inferior ones. Keeping in mind a few basics will help.
Fish oil supplements are beneficial to us because they contain omega-3 fatty acids; specifically DHA and EPA. It is only logical that the best fish oil brands haven more of these omega-3s compared to the lesser-quality products. Be sure to check the label in your fish oils; the more DHA and EPA, the better. For every 1,000 mg of fish oil, each capsule should contain 600 mg or a 60% concentration of omega-3 fatty acids.
Fish oil supplements, like all fish products, are subject to toxin dangers, but the best fish oil should be pure and free of toxins. For this reason, doctors do not prescribe fish oil supplements to pregnant mothers, even though it can offer positive effects to the baby’s brain development as studies show.
Determining which fish oil supplements are pure was very difficult since there was no reliable regulation board for people to refer to. Thanks to the Nutrasource Diagnostics Inc. of Canada , which came up with the International Fish Oil Safety (IFOS) program.
Before the IFOS program, the standards for toxin-free fish oil supplements were too lenient everywhere in the world. Fortunately, the IFOS has since implemented a strict set of world standards for purity of fish oils based on five parameters:
• Passes all CRN/WHO testing categories
• 60% or higher Omega-3 concentration
• Oxidation Levels less than 75% of CRN standard
• PCB Levels Less than 50% of CRN standard
• Dioxin Levels Less Than 50% of WHO standard
The best fish oil supplement should merit a 5-star certification from the IFOS program at the minimum. This measure will definitely narrow the selection process for the best fish oil. Two brands, Nordic Naturals and See Yourself Well, are 5-star certified brands that are available in the United States.
To summarize, the best fish oil should offer not only value, but also well-being and peace of mind. The label should indicate whether or not your fish oil supplement meets your Omega-3 fatty acids requirement, and don’t forget to verify the 5-star certification from the International Fish Oil Standards program!
Brittany Q. Wallace is an authority on what makes a product the best fish oil and has been writing about health for nearly 10 years. Read more about fish oil benefits on her website.
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