By choosing algae-based sources of long chain omega-3 fatty acids, one may be able to get the benefits of fish consumption without the risks.
Plant-Based Omega-3 Supplements
This is what it looks like. It’s grown organically. So, no heavy metals; no industrial toxins. It’s grown bloodlessly. You know, Charlie looks happier in the commercials. It’s grown sustainably, so we’re not contributing to the extinction of our ocean wildlife. It’s grown hygienically—so, you don’t have to hear me talk about the first report this year of a new fish tapeworm in North America. Those are not noodles.
Food is a package deal. No, we tell the maître d’, “I’m not trying to be difficult; I do want the omega 3s. But could I at least get the tapeworms on the side?” It doesn’t work that way. Food is a package deal.
As unsavory as this may be, it’s not as bad as pork tapeworms, shown here sticking out, and here, shown literally eating someone’s brain.
All the benefits, none of the risks. The long-chain omega 3s, the “DHA” in golden algae, found to be 100% bioequivalent to the DHA in fish flesh. So, organic, hygienic, sustainable, bloodless, bioequivalent; it may even be cheaper too. So, we have a choice: we can get our long-chain omega 3s this way, or…this way.
Yes, people who don’t eat animals have very low levels of industrial toxins in their body, but they also have very low levels of long-chain omega 3s. So, I recommend everyone take 250mg of microalgae-based DHA daily. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone. Most fish-eaters aren’t getting enough DHA for optimal health, either.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Dianne Moore.
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- B. Wicht, T. Scholz, R. Peduzzi, & R. Kuchta. First record of human infection with the tapeworm Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense in North America. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 78(2):235-238, 2008.
- L.M. Arterburn, H.A. Oken, J.P. Hoffman, E. Bailey-Hall, G. Chung, D. Rom, J. Hamersley, & D. McCarthy. Bioequivalence of Docosahexaenoic acid from different algal oils in capsules and in a DHA-fortified food. Lipids, 42(11):1011-1024, 2007.
- M. Kornsteiner, I. Singer, & I. Elmadfa. Very low n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid status in Austrian vegetarians and vegans. Ann Nutr Metab, 52(1):37-47, 2008.
This is what it looks like. It’s grown organically. So, no heavy metals; no industrial toxins. It’s grown bloodlessly. You know, Charlie looks happier in the commercials. It’s grown sustainably, so we’re not contributing to the extinction of our ocean wildlife. It’s grown hygienically—so, you don’t have to hear me talk about the first report this year of a new fish tapeworm in North America. Those are not noodles.
Food is a package deal. No, we tell the maître d’, “I’m not trying to be difficult; I do want the omega 3s. But could I at least get the tapeworms on the side?” It doesn’t work that way. Food is a package deal.
As unsavory as this may be, it’s not as bad as pork tapeworms, shown here sticking out, and here, shown literally eating someone’s brain.
All the benefits, none of the risks. The long-chain omega 3s, the “DHA” in golden algae, found to be 100% bioequivalent to the DHA in fish flesh. So, organic, hygienic, sustainable, bloodless, bioequivalent; it may even be cheaper too. So, we have a choice: we can get our long-chain omega 3s this way, or…this way.
Yes, people who don’t eat animals have very low levels of industrial toxins in their body, but they also have very low levels of long-chain omega 3s. So, I recommend everyone take 250mg of microalgae-based DHA daily. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone. Most fish-eaters aren’t getting enough DHA for optimal health, either.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Dianne Moore.
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- B. Wicht, T. Scholz, R. Peduzzi, & R. Kuchta. First record of human infection with the tapeworm Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense in North America. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 78(2):235-238, 2008.
- L.M. Arterburn, H.A. Oken, J.P. Hoffman, E. Bailey-Hall, G. Chung, D. Rom, J. Hamersley, & D. McCarthy. Bioequivalence of Docosahexaenoic acid from different algal oils in capsules and in a DHA-fortified food. Lipids, 42(11):1011-1024, 2007.
- M. Kornsteiner, I. Singer, & I. Elmadfa. Very low n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid status in Austrian vegetarians and vegans. Ann Nutr Metab, 52(1):37-47, 2008.
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Title
Plant-Based Omega-3 Supplements
LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Content URLDoctor's Note
More on plant-based omega-3s:
Algae-Based DHA vs. Flax
Flax Seeds For Sensitive Skin (EPA not DHA)
And fish pathogens:
Zero Tolerance to Acceptable Risk
Tongue Worm in Human Eye
Allergenic Fish Worms
And fish oils:
Is Distilled Fish Oil Toxin-Free?
Fish Oil in Troubled Waters
PCBs in Children’s Fish Oil Supplements
Because even distilled fish oil has been found to contain toxic industrial pollutants, the safest source is algae- or yeast-derived EPA/DHA (our bodies can retroconvert DHA into EPA, and vice versa). My recommendation is to ideally get 250 to 500mg a day.
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