Almost everyone these days has heard about the importance of omega 3 fatty acids and, therefore, want to know how much omega-3 to take on a daily basis.
There are several factors you must consider if you want to buy the best omega-3 supplement.
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But, first, let's discuss the topic of how much omega-3 one needs to take on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, there is no set rule. The amount is going to be different if you are 30 years old than it would be if you are 65. It may also vary if you have a health condition.
For purposes of this article, we will simply give a ballpark figure of what you might want to take to maintain good health, assuming you are an adult with a reasonable degree of good health currently.
Before we discuss dosage, you should understand something important. It's not the amount you take that should be of first importance. Rather, it's the ratio of your omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid intake.
The optimal ratio is 1:1. Most people nowadays in the Western world consume 20 times more omega 6's than omega 3's.
So, to start, you should reduce your consumption of omega 6 oils, as this unbalanced ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 can lead to numerous serious health disasters.
Here are sources high in omega 6's that you'll want to reduce before looking for the best omega-3 supplement: corn oil, sunflower and safflower oil, and soybean oil. Many people cook with these oils, so if you do too, substitute it for something else like olive oil.
Another thing to consider before you think about how much omega-3 oils to take is to know that there are three types of omega 3 fatty acids. There is DHA, EPA, and ALA.
ALA is the type found in plant sources, such as flaxseed and walnuts.
DHA and EPA are the type found in fish.
Fish sources are better because ALA from plant sources needs to be converted by the body into DHA and EPA and this conversion does not always take place efficiently.
Now, if you are wondering if you should just eat more fish or take a fish oil supplement, there is no contest. You should opt for the supplement -- as long as its high quality.
This is simply because most of the fish caught from the Ocean waters This is precisely why the FDA advocates a limited consumption of various types of fish -- because they contain dangerous toxins, like lead, PCB's, and mercury.
Farm raised fish is not much better because they are fed pellets, not their natural diet. It is their natural diet that is responsible for their high omega 3 fatty acid content. As such, farm raised fish are poor sources of omega 3's.
The best omega-3 supplement will be molecularly distilled fish oil high in DHA and EPA. Molecular distillation is a process by which the impurities are separated from the healthy oils, leaving only the good stuff and discarding the bad stuff.
Another distinction is that DHA omega 3 fats are the most important type, and have a greater impact on good health than EPA. As an example, about 60% of the human brain is comprised of fats, and approximately half of that is DHA!
Therefore, when you look at how much omega-3 is on the label of a high quality fish oil supplement, make sure you know the breakdown between DHA and EPA. They are not all the same, because different species of fish have different levels of these important fatty acids.
Having said all of this, a healthy adult should consider taking approximately 1,000 mg per day of omega 3 fatty acids, with more of that being DHA than EPA.
In summary, the best omega-3 supplement will be: a) made with a type of fish naturall high in DHA and EPA (with more DHA than EPA); will be molecularly distilled; and contain about 1,000 omega 3 fatty acids in total.
Knowing How Much Omega-3 Fatty Acids To Take Is Important For Good Health
Dan Ho is editor of http://www.omega-3-fish-oil-guide.com Visit us now for more tips on how to choose top line fish oil and omega-3 supplements. http://www.omega-3-fish-oil-guide.com is a free, informative browsing reference source on all things concerning omega-3 fats.