Should we eat fish or not to get omega-3?

In a recent study of 184 countries, researchers found that 85% of them are omega-3 deficient, which is linked to rising rates of cardiovascular disease, depression, preterm birth, and neurological decline (PMID: 40520676).

That's an ALARMING statistic.

But it gets more complicated…

The lead researcher concluded that our current food systems are not providing enough UNCONTAMINATED omega-3.

I’ve been saying this for years now, and there is no more debating this…

Our fish supply is compromised, possibly beyond repair.

To most people, that would present a conundrum…

Because the logical solution - eat more fish - is the problem.

Fish today is heavily contaminated with microplastics and heavy metals (PMID: 30116998). Things like cadmium, mercury, arsenic, and lead, which accumulate as fish age and bioaccumulate up the food chain…

Once upon a time, I thought smaller fish like wild salmon or sardines were ok to consume regularly. But I have seen far too many cases of heavy metal accumulation from even these smaller fish to continue thinking this is a good idea.

Sadly, too, as bottom dwellers, shellfish also accumulate heavy metals and toxins.

Huge bummer for me because I used to LOVE scallops and lobster, but I don't consume these anymore for this reason.

So what about fish oil supplements to meet our daily omega-3 requirements?

Fish oil is FRAGILE. Putting it in capsules - or worse, liquid form - is a sure way to get it to oxidize. You can't always tell when oils are rancid, but if you've ever experienced those nasty fish burps… that's usually a strong indicator.

Unfortunately, it’s a rampant issue in the industry…

A 2023 study testing 72 of the most popular fish oil supplements on the market found that 68% of flavored products exceeded acceptable oxidation limits - with flavoring added specifically to mask the rancid taste (PMID: 37712532).

So what is the solution?

Today's industrialized diets contain roughly 20 TIMES more omega-6s than omega-3s. Historically, that ratio was approximately equal.

So to fix that, stop consuming seed oils, which are the primary sources of omega-6. Then, make sure you consume grass-fed, organic, pastured animal proteins. These

Then, make sure you supplement your diet with the best omega-3 supplements on the marketing like Standard Process and Nordic Natural, which have the purest omega-3 supplements available.

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