Is fish oil an ideal source of Omega-3?

Does any of you consume fish oil as daily Omega-3 supplement? Is it a good source of Omega-3 supplementation? How much do you pay for a bottle of fish oil? I would like to share with you guys the facts about fish oil in general and my recommendation of Omega-3 supplements. 

Does anyone know what is Omega-3? Omega-3 fatty acids, basically are family of the unsaturated fatty acids, they are rich is EPA, DHA and ALA. Apart from general fish oil, other sources of Omega-3 fatty acids are flaxseed, organic eggs, grass-fed organic meat, organic milk and cheese and etc. From my point of view, a really good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, is from krill oil. 

Krill oil is not as popular and well known as fish oil or cod liver oil. It is generally more expensive then most fish oils but has poor-availability in Malaysian supplement market. There are very few brands in Malaysia sells good krill oil supplementation. Most common fish oils sold in Malaysia are fish oil, cod liver oil, salmon oil, shark liver oil, etc. As for the general fish oil sold in most health outlets or pharmacies, the fishes sources are usually from  sardines, herring and mackerel. 

Why is fish oil not an ideal source of Omega-3? Oxidation. Yes, fish oils are prone to oxidation and when every time it contact with oxygen, it starts going rancid. Whenever during processing in the factory, the chances of exposing to oxygen is high, thus enabling the oils go bad. Omega-3 fats are very fragile, and easily damaged by oxygen. However, this is where krill oil stands out as winner. 

Krill oil would also be unstable, if it wasn't for the fact that it contains Astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is  a very potent anti-oxidant. It fights and prevents oxidative damage. In fact, krill oil remained undamaged, after being exposed to oxygen to 190 hours! Fish oil will go rancid after just 1 hour of oxygen exposure. But, before purchasing any krill oil supplementation, DO read the labels. if the content of astaxanthin is lower then 0.25g per 1g of krill oil, then the quality of the product is low and chances of that krill oil goes rancid is quite high.

Another reason why krill oil is preferred over fish oil, is amounts of contamination. Krill basically has very short lifespan in the ocean. The amount of contamination such as mercury, lead, chromium, arsenic, PCBs, etc, are much higher in fish comparing to krill. Krill do not have enough time to actually bioaccumulate the toxins and metals in the tissues.

Besides that, you might notice certain brands of fish oil supplements do have added or higher saturated fat. Why? It is because the manufacturers added 'lard' to the fish oil. Reason? Cheaper production of fish oil. Try putting your fish oil in the refrigerator and you will notice they turn solid. 

So, what is the recommended dose for Omega-3 fatty acids for daily consumption? I would say 1:1 ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. If it's 2:1 ratio, it is not too bad, but most people these days have 10:1 or 20:1 ratio of Omega-6 and Omega-3. Folks, reduce your Omega-6 intake and eat foods which have more Omega-3 fats. Stay healthy!