Omega-3s contain important fatty acids that are part of all body cells and tissues and help the body to function optimally. To get these fatty acids, we depend on our diet. However, scientific research shows that 9 out of 10 people do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids. Almost half of those 9 people do not even get enough to allow the body to function optimally*. So there is a good chance that you too have an omega-3 deficit. That is why we would like to give you an honest answer in this article to questions such as: What is omega-3? What are its benefits? What foods contain omega-3? Am I getting enough of it?
Uitgelicht
Omega-3 consists of polyunsaturated fatty acids which are essential for our body. This means that your body can produce these fatty acids itself to a limited extent and are therefore not considered essential. There are three types: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
ALA is found in vegetable oils, such as flaxseed, chia seed, avocados or green leafy vegetables. It is converted in the body into EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA are found in fatty fish and shellfish. However, the two fatty acids are not produced by the animals themselves. They obtain it from micro-algae. In other words, EPA and DHA are also vegetable and are available as algae oil.
Due to the popularity of omega-3s, there is a lot of information about the positive influence that DHA and EPA have on your body. The fatty acids DHA and EPA are present in all body cells and tissues and contribute to the proper functioning of the body. There are many health claims that emphasise the positive influence of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. However, many of these claims are not based on scientific research. We therefore only describe the positive effects of omega-3 that are scientifically substantiated.
Because of the popularity of Omega-3, a lot of information can be found about the positive effects which DHA and EPA are purported to have on your body. The fatty acids EPA and DHA are active in all body cells and tissues and contribute to the optimal functioning of the body.
Omega-3 health claims
Testa Omega-3 EPA and DHA capsules are guaranteed to contain more than 450 mg of omega-3, considerably more than the average algae, fish or krill oil supplement. We can therefore make the following health claims:
The quantities below are based on 1 capsule per day.
– capsule is good for the heart function (DHA and EPA)
– 1 capsule is good for the brain function (DHA)
– 1 capsule is good for eyesight (DHA)
– 1 capsule contributes to the normal visual development of infants up to 12 months of age (DHA)
– 1 capsule from the mother contributes to normal eye development in the foetus and breastfed infants (DHA)
– 1 capsule from mother contributes to normal brain development in the foetus and breastfed infants (DHA)
– 7 capsules contribute to the maintenance of normal blood pressure and it is recommended not to take more than 10 capsules daily
– 5 capsules help maintain normal blood triglyceride levels and again no more than 10 capsules daily is recommended
– Protection against free radicals (vitamin E)
The important fatty acids in omega-3 are essential fatty acids, so we need to get these fatty acids in by adjusting our diet to our body’s omega-3 requirements. When asked how much omega-3 fatty acid you should consume each day, health organisations have different answers. The recommended daily quantity of DHA and EPA varies from around 200 to 500 mg per day for a healthy adult. The Voedingscentrum (Nutrition Centre), for example, recommends that adults consume 200 mg of omega-3 fatty acids per day. This corresponds to one portion of fatty fish per week. The World Gastroenterology Organisation even recommends 3 to 5 portions of fish per week in order to get enough DHA and EPA.
For many of us, however, fatty fish or large quantities of seeds are not a weekly staple in our diet, otherwise not 90% of the population would suffer from a deficiency of omega-3s. To make up for this deficit, many people turn to food supplements. This explains the popularity of fish oil capsules, the best known omega-3 dietary supplement on the market. But this is not without its consequences.
Overfishing threatens our oceans. With disastrous consequences for man and planet. Currently, some 25% of the 90 billion kilos of annual global fish catch is used to extract omega-3s. That can be done differently. The only reason that fish contain omega-3s is that they eat algae. So the good fatty acids we need are originally found in algae, not fish. So why take fish oil capsules? We can very easily remove this extra step from the omega-3 food chain and extract the fatty acids directly from algae, rather than from fish.
Algae oil capsules have the following advantages over fish oil capsules:
Sustainable choice: you do not contribute to overfishing and unnecessary bycatch;
100% vegetable capsules, so also suitable for vegetarians and vegans;
Whereas fish oil must be cleaned of harmful substances, algae oil is pure in itself.
Choose your algae oil capsules, then you choose not only for your own health, but also for a healthy fish stock and a healthy environment.
Stel eenvoudig je hoeveelheid en frequentie samen en zit nooit meer zonder verse omega-3 in huis. De omega is dan gegarandeerd niet ouder dan 3 maanden van productie tot consumptie. Je kan het natuurlijk ook los bestellen
