Both DHA and EPA Omega-3 Fats Now Available from a Vegetarian Source
For a while now, non-fish sources of Omega-3 fat DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), such as the one produced from microalgae by Martek Biosciences, have been produced and incorporated into many consumer products, such as:
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Infant formulas
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Dairy products
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Nutrition bars
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Dietary supplements
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Etc.
To-date, though, there hasn’t been a non-fish source of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), the other primary Omega-3 fat shown to have important health benefits.
Recently, a UK company called Water4life introduced an algae-derived Omega-3 supplement that contains both DHA and EPA.
A couple of notes on it:
- It is very expensive relative to fish-source DHA and EPA, more than $1 per day for about 1 gram of Omega-3 fats versus as little as $0.10 per day of a similar amount of fish oil supplements.
- Also, the ratio of EPA to DHA is different in the Waterlife supplement (1:3.6) than that commonly found in fish oil supplements (3:2).
For now, it probably makes sense to stick with fish oil supplements to get regular intake of Omega-3 fats. You can find a list of fish oil supplements that have been tested for contaminants here. If you’re vegetarian, a good second choice would be a product that includes flaxseed oil plus a microalgae-based form of DHA.
Hopefully scientists will continue to research ways to develop affordable plant-based Omega-3 fats that provide significant amounts of both DHA and EPA.
What About Flaxseed Oil and Walnuts?
Unfortunately, other inexpensive plant-based sources of Omega-3 fats, such as flaxseed oil and walnuts aren’t good substitutes for Omega-3 fat sources providing both DHA and EPA. The Omega-3 fat in these plants is called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). It can be converted in the body in the body into EPA and then on into DHA, as shown here:
However, the conversion process is very inefficient. In most people, less than 10 percent of the ALA is converted into EPA. There are other reasons why one might want to include flaxseed oil and/or ground flaxseeds into the diet, but getting Omega-3 fats DHA and EPA is not one of them.
DHA and EPA: Key to Disease Prevention
It’s the DHA and EPA omega-3 fats that your body most needs. They’re fundamental to cell membrane function, as well as for regulation of the immune system and inflammation (through eicosanoid production) that is so often at the root of chronic disease.
Omega-3 fats DHA and EPA are helpful in preventing and treating many different conditions, including:
- Arthritis
- ADHD & Autism
- Allergies & Asthma
- Cancer
- Cognitive decline
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Inflammatory bowel diseases
- Osteoporosis
- Prostate issues
- Skin problems
- Vision problems
- And more …
With intake through food generally low and the risk from toxins in many fish high, supplementation with adequate amounts of Omega-3 fats DHA and EPA from a contaminant-free source need to be part of any serious preventive nutrition program.
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