What is the Best Source of Omega 3?
The first distinction to make is that you need to get the bulk of your omega-3 from animal sources, not plant sources. Hence, omega-3 is one of the rare instances when you’re better off taking a supplement instead of getting it from fish, as most commercially available fish (even wild-caught varieties) are now heavily polluted with mercury, PCBs and other toxic substances. Although ALA (that you get from plant sources) is an essential nutrient, the conversion of ALA to the far more essential EPA and DHA is typically severely impaired by inhibition of delta 6 desaturase. This is an enzyme that is necessary to produce the longer chain EPA and DHA from ALA. Elevated insulin levels impair this enzyme, and over 80 percent of the U.S. population has elevated insulin levels. So from that perspective alone it is important to include animal-based sources of omega-3 fats. When it comes to choosing between the animal-based omega-3 options, the primary options are fish oil, cod liver oil or krill
