Omega 3 Fatty Acid Supplement – Ultra Refined Fish Oil

Ultra refined fish oil gives you the safest and most beneficial way of getting the health advantages an omega 3 fatty acid supplement provides. There are numerous different grades of fish oil on the market, but if you don’t see “molecularly distilled” on the label, you aren’t getting the purest and healthiest fish oil supplement. And don’t  be fooled by the term pharmaceutical grade – there is no such thing. This is a term created by industry for marketing purposes!

Health Benefits of Omega 3

There’s no doubt about the health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids: the literature and research shows a clear and definite link between its anti-inflammation qualities and improved health. The American Heart Foundation states they may reduce the risk of heart disease and science is excited about the research now looking at omega 3 and improved brain function, as well as the potential benefits on many other health conditions.

And I’ve been taking them for years! I grew up in Canada and despite our hard winters, we never got sick. Mom forced a spoonful of fish oil down our throats every day and I KNOW that was one of the reasons we enjoyed such good health.  I still take it every day – but thankfully with an ultra refined fish oil capsule, I don’t have to taste it!

The Benefits of Fish Oil Capsules…

But what is the best way to get omega 3? Well, to begin, you have to ingest it because the body doesn’t produce omega fatty acids. Again, the American Heart Foundation says if you eat fish twice a week you’ll get the benefits of a good balance of omega 3 fatty acid in your diet.

However, most of us don’t eat enough fish. The average western diet means we consume 10-25 more omega 6 fatty acids than omega 3 while the appropriate ratio is more like 4:1. If you can make those dietary changes consistently, great! But most of us can’t.

That’s why an omega 3 fatty acid supplement fish oil capsule is the best choice for so many people. A capsule a day ensures you get all the health benefits omega three provides and they’re easy to find. You can get these supplements in any food store.

However, all supplements are not equal and if you really care about your health and what you’re ingesting, you need to consider the source of the fish oil and the production process. Here’s why you should be looking for an ultra refined fish oil.

The Dangers…

The world’s oceans are becoming more and more polluted and increasing levels of things like mercury and PCB’s are being seen in the flesh of wild caught fish. Farm raised fish don’t have these pollutants but they also don’t have sufficient levels of omega three – pellet food diets are not the natural diet that is required to produce the omega levels we need.

Fish oils are concentrated – so any pollutants in the fish themselves, would also be concentrated in fish oil harvested without any purification process.

What to Look For in an Ultra Refined Fish Oil Supplement

Molecular Distillation

To begin, you should really be looking at the production process itself. If it is advertized as pure  “cold pressed oil” with no additives, that’s what you’ll get. Completely natural, but not free of any contaminants. Look for “molecularly distilled” as the purification process. This is the most thorough (down to the molecular level) and in addition, it does not “cook” away the nutrients and value of the supplement as some of the other processes do.

Dominant DHA

Also look for supplements higher in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) than Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). DHA and EPA are the two omega 3 fatty acids found in fish. Both are vital to provide total health benefits, however research is showing that DHA is more important. It is also easier for the body to convert DHA to EPA than EPA to DHA, thus making it much easier to achieve the correct balance. (Many fish oil supplements contain more EPA because it is easier to concentrate).

Source of Fish

This goes back to the purity and environmental issues. In terms of purity, check to ensure that the source of the fish used is tracked. If the brand doesn’t answer this question in its literature, move on. Environmentally, there are too many companies that are using fish harvested without any consideration to sustaining the ecosystem. If that issue is of importance to you (as it is to me), please check to make sure you aren’t supporting unsustainable fishing.

There is a company that produces what I think is the very best ultra refined fish oil. It’s a New Zealand company called Xtend-Life that seems to do things differently.

Their emphasis on using only the freshest and natural ingredients in all their products shows in the quality. Their Omega DHA fish oil supplement is the freshest I’ve ever taken. Xtend Life use a hoki fish combined with a tuna to make this supplement which means that in addition to the purity and freshness it provides, the anti-inflammatory quality of this product is over twice that of any other fish oil.

I’ve been using  Omega 3 DHA from Xtend-Life for years and I’ve just never found a better supplement. And the way this company stands by its environmental commitment and is an open book in terms of its processes and third party auditing program is unique in the industry. Do your research. But you won’t find better.