Fish Oil Supplements

Which Ones and Why

Fish oil supplements should be pure and fresh. Not all of them are.

When the oil is extracted from the body and liver of fish, mercury normally remains in the oil.

There is a process, however, called "molecular distillation". It is used by many of the major manufacturers and it leaves the mercury behind. The companies that use this process for their fish oil supplements will almost always include a laboratory analysis on the label. It will state that the oil is mercury free and chemical free.

Freshness is critical. Spoiled oils (vegetable or animal) will make you sick.

All animal and vegetable fats and oils are subject to oxidation. This is true for fish oil supplements.

In other words, they get spoiled (oxidize) after a certain period of time. They spoil much more quickly when they are exposed to air, water, or heat. Be sure to check the dating on the bottles of your fish oil supplements. And, store them in the refridgerator. Especially after you open the bottle.

In order to recieve the benefits of fish oil you need:

1) To get pure properly manufactured Fish Oil Supplements and

2) You have to take enough of them.

The reason so many fish oil supplements fail to bring the desired results, is that people just plain don't take enough of the oils. The same is true of herbs.

Many people want to experience the enormous benefits that can come from regular use of fish oil supplements. So, they take 1 capsule a day. Or some will take 3 fish oil capsules 3 times a day and think they are mega dosing!

Fish oil supplements are food. They are not pharmaceutical chemicals that whack your body. They are food. And just like any other food, you need to eat an adequate amount to be healthy.

Let's take meat as an example. Now meat is a great proteins source. One of the best! But if you depended on 3 capsules of meat 3 times a day for all your protein needs, you would literally starve to death FAST!

You don't require nearly the amount of fish oil supplements as you do meat. 1 to 3 teaspoons is the normally recommended amount.

The problem with fish oil capsules is that fish oil capsules are not going to give you much fish oil unless you take about 14 - 21 of the large capsules or about 80 - 125 of the small ones each day.

That is not an exaggeration.

Here are the numbers:

A large fish oil capsule has 1000mgs of fish oil or just 1 gram (Didn't 1000mgs sound much more impressive!? That's why they label it that way.).

Now, a single teaspoonful of fish oil is about 7 grams. A tablespoonful has about 21 grams. See where capsules fall short?

The usual recommended amount of fish oil supplements for an adult is 1-3 teaspoonfuls a day. I use 2 or 3 daily. Therapeutically 2 to 3 Tablespoons of fish oil supplements are common (3 to 6 teaspoonsful). More than that can be too much. Especially if you use Cod Liver Oil (which I do, especially in the winter) because of the Vitamin A & D contents.

The plain fish oils are usually made with some natural lemon flavor and are usually quite good tasting. Many people mix them with their salad oil (which should be pure Olive Oil).

Cod Liver Oil is my favorite because of the naturally occurring Vitamin D. Most people are Vitamin D deficient. Carlson's Cod Liver Oil is my favorite. It has unsurpassed purity!

The only other natural source is sunlight on the skin. That is actually the very best source. And, we have been taught (falsely) to shun sun tanning.

The problem with Cod Liver Oil, for some people, is the taste. It tastes like fish liver. You get used to it after a while. I have actually come to enjoy it. Probably because I know how good it is for me! But, the first taste will be "interesting" if you've never had it.

That's up to you! Fish oil supplements can enhance the health of virtually everyone whose food comes from modern Omega 3 deficient farming production methods. That means almost all of us. And, Fish Oils are the best reliable source of this absolutely necessary Omega 3 fat.

At any rate, if you're in doubt about fish oil supplements, try a bottle. It's just food. But it's a Super Food!

If you're like most people, you'll undoubtedly notice a greater feeling of well being shortly after your very first tablespoonful!

Be Well.....

William