What is the best brand of fish oil to take?
Welcome, dear reader! Have you ever found yourself standing in the supplement aisle wondering which brand of fish oil you should buy? Fear not! We are here to help guide you through this slippery slope.
Sardine Protocol
Before we dive into the different brands, let’s discuss something known as the “sardine protocol”. What is that? Well, my dear friend, it’s when a person eats an entire can of sardines before consuming any other type of seafood. Why on earth would someone do such a thing? Because apparently sardines have less mercury than most other types of seafood and they’re loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. Plus, who doesn’t love a good challenge?
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get down to business.
Popular Brands at a Glance
| Brand Name | Type | Serving Size | EPA/DHA Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| SmartyPants Organic Gummies | Chewable Gummies | 2 gummies | 180mg/120mg |
| Barlean’s Omega Swirl Fish Oil | Liquid | 1 Tbsp (15 mL) | 1520mg/980mg |
| Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega Chocolate-Mint Soft Gels |
Don’t worry if those names sound like fancy car models or your neighbor’s show dog breeders; we’ll break them down for you soon enough.
Quality Factors
In order to determine which brand reigns supreme as the best brand (cue dramatic music), we must first learn about the factors to consider when choosing a fish oil supplement. These include:
Sourcing
It’s essential to choose a brand that sources their fish from sustainable fisheries, as some types of fish may be exposed to environmental toxins such as mercury and PCBs.
Potency
The potency of a fish oil supplement refers to the amount and concentration of omega-3 fatty acids it contains. Look for supplements with higher amounts of EPA/DHA per serving.
Purity
Some companies use processes like molecular distillation or centrifugation to remove impurities and contaminants like mercury, lead, and arsenic that can accumulate in the flesh of certain species.
Popular Brands Explained
Now let’s get into these brands we mentioned earlier: SmartyPants Organic Gummies, Barlean’s Omega Swirl Fish Oil, and Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega.
SmartyPants Organic Gummies
Don’t let the name fool you; these gummies mean business (kinda). Not only are they made from organic ingredients, but they source their omega-rich sardines from off-coast Portugal! The downside? You have to take two whole gummies just to match one teaspoon of Barlean’s liquid product (more on that later). So unless you’re really into chewing endlessly on what is essentially fruit-flavored Jell-O shots filled with healthy omegas…you might want something more substantial.
Barleans Omega Swirl Fish Oil
Barlean’s says its “Omega Swirl” line is emulsified for better absorption than regular oils — claiming it has nine times greater absorption rates compared with other products meaning oily burps following each intake won’t haunt your dreams anymore!. There isn’t much research backing up this claim but who knows— maybe they had an insider dolphin tell them all about it while doing flips at Sea World. One tablespoon provides 1-2g of EPA/DHA, which does sound like a lot but remember: that’s one tablespoon. The more you know.
Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega
It wouldn’t be an omega-3 round-up without mentioning everyone’s favorite Scandinavian export: Nordic Naturals. Their fish oil line is a favorite amongst supplement aficionados and hypochondriacs alike (and for good reason!) Each soft gel contains 690mg of both EPA and DHA, making it one of the most potent daily doses available with no added fillers or additives.
Additional Tips
If after all this, you’re still not convinced which brand to choose— consider buying from brands that offer certification tests such as USP verification or IFOS reporting their results on purity labelling.
Also, if your goal in taking fish oils is heart health specifically? Only go for supplements labeled “heart-health” specific for example Coromega Max® Heart Omega-3 Or Eskimo-3®, just ensure to check quality harnessing third-party certifications previously mentioned.
In conclusion,
no matter what product we take price never equals quality when it comes to our bodies! Always proceed with caution when checking out brands related to dietary supplements at the store; however, picking up some sardines can also serve good purpose —somewhat cheaper too Best Bites Alert.
Thank you for joining us on this laugh-filled informative journey about such serious stuff. We hope use proper discretion while reading over thoroughly so nobody ends having soggy gummies hanging out of their mouth trying unsucesssfully wrestling down omegas all day long.!