What is fish oil? how to consume it ?
What is fish oil? how to consume it ?
Blog Article
What is fish oil?
Fish oil is extracted from fish fat, and one of its main components is Omega-3, a polyunsaturated fatty acid.
Omega-3 is an important component of biological cell membranes. Fish oil is involved in a variety of physiological reactions and is considered to be beneficial in fighting inflammation, anti-coagulation, regulating lipid metabolism, glucose tolerance and central nervous system function. Omega-3 is made up of the following three components:
1. ALA (α-linolenic acid): This is an essential fatty acid that cannot be synthesized by the human body and must be obtained from vegetable oils, seeds or health supplements <a href=https://healthy-nature.tw>fish oil benefits</a>.
2. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid): The human body cannot synthesize it on its own, but it can convert ALA into EPA, or obtain it from seafood and health supplements.
3. DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid): The human body cannot synthesize it on its own, but it can convert ALA or EPA into DHA, or obtain it from seafood and health supplements.
What are the effects and benefits of fish oil?
There are many debates in the medical community about the health benefits of fish oil. However, scientific research has proven that fish oil containing Omega-3 (including EPA and DHA) does have many positive effects on health:
1. Improve cardiovascular health: It has anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulation, triglyceride-lowering and blood pressure regulating effects.
2. Promote eye health: reduce inflammation on the surface of the eye, promote the secretion of eyelid glands and tear glands, and stimulate nerve regeneration.
3. Help the development of infants and young children: It helps the development of brain nerves and vision, and promotes the establishment of the immune system.
4. Prevent mild Alzheimer's disease: Enhance cognitive function, improve mild symptoms, and help patients regulate their weight.
When is the best time to take fish oil? <a href=https://healthynature.tw/%E5%90%83%E9%AD%9A%E6%B2%B9%E7%9A%84%E5%A5%BD%E8%99%95>fish oil recommendation</a>? How to consume?
Fish oil is a fat-soluble nutrient and should be consumed with fat-containing foods to improve absorption. Therefore, it is recommended to take it after meals, especially after lunch or dinner with more oily foods.
The selection of fish oil and the benefits of deep sea fish oil
1. How to choose deep sea fish oil? What are the benefits of taking deep sea fish oil?
Deep-sea fish such as salmon, mackerel and saury are rich in oil and have high Omega-3 content in fish oil, so many fish oil products use these fish as raw materials. However, deep-sea fish are usually large fish higher up the food chain and may contain higher levels of heavy metals such as mercury. When purchasing, you should pay attention to the following two points:
- Whether the raw materials come from pure fisheries: Pure waters refer to areas with little pollution, little human activity, and no nuclear pollution or oil extraction, such as Norway or Alaska.
- Whether the product has passed international standards and various inspections: You should choose products that can provide safety inspection reports and have obtained international certification.
2. Is high-concentration fish oil better? How is it different from high-unit, high-content fish oil?
Concentration, units or amounts usually refer to the amount of omega-3 in a single serving of fish oil. Different brands have different calculation methods <a href=https://healthy-nature.tw>fish oil recommendations</a>. Some brands of fish oil units are smaller and require 1 to 2 capsules to be taken at a time. In theory, the higher the concentration of fish oil, the more Omega-3 it contains and the greater the health benefits. However, according to the regulations of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the total daily intake of EPA and DHA for healthy people should be less than 2 grams, and for patients with special diseases it should be less than 5 grams.
When purchasing, you should pay attention to the clear concentration label to avoid buying products that do not live up to their reputation. If you are in doubt about the concentration of fish oil, you can use the following formula to calculate the actual concentration:
Omega-3 content (EPA + DHA) / total weight of fish oil per serving (excluding capsule weight)
It is important to note that some fish oil products may indicate the amount of Omega-3, EPA, and DHA, but the sum of EPA and DHA is not equal to the Omega-3 content. This may be because the manufacturer uses other Omega-3s, such as ALA, to increase the concentration.
3. Three types of fish oil: TG, EE, and rTG
According to the different extraction methods, fish oil can be divided into the following three types:
- **TG fish oil (triglyceride type)**
- Description: The most traditional fish oil extraction method
- Concentration: about 30~50%
- Absorption rate: less processing, closest to natural fish oil, high bioavailability
- Price: Usually cheaper
- **EE type fish oil (esterified fish oil)**
- Description: Increase the concentration through processing esterification technology
- Concentration: about 50~70%
- Absorption rate: It is a non-natural triglyceride form, so the absorption rate is poor.
- Price: Usually between TG and rTG
- **rTG fish oil (re-esterified triglyceride form)**
- Description: Through advanced extraction technology, the molecular structure of EE type fish oil is adjusted back to TG type
- Concentration: more than 80%
- Absorption rate: Maintains triglyceride form, and the absorption rate remains unchanged
- Price: High
In short, when choosing fish oil, you should consider the source of raw materials, concentration labeling and form, so as to choose the product that suits you best.