Over the years there has been a lot of hype about the health benefits of taking omega-3 fatty acids (particularly flax seed and fish oil). And rightfully so, as they are essential and can be difficult to get in adequate amounts from diet alone. Additionally, they can often directly address certain health conditions.
That said, when taking flax seed or fish oil from supplements, there are several things that need to be taken into consideration.
1) Freshness: Both flax seed and fish oil are quite volatile and can go rancid (or oxidize) very easily. Consuming rancid fats is equivalent to directly consuming harmful free radicals that can wreak havoc on the cells in your body. Free radicals have been implicated as contributing to many degenerative diseases. To understand more on free radicals and oxidation, read my article on the aging process. As a result of this, it’s important to make sure that the oil you are consuming has not been sitting on a shelf for very long. Many times the label will say when the product was manufactured. You should be fine if it was manufactured within three months from when you purchase it. Keep in mind that flax seed oil is more unstable and likely to go rancid much quicker than fish oil. Also, some manufacturers will add antioxidants to the product to help keep it from oxidizing and extend the shelf life – whether that shelf is in the store or your home. By the way, it’s best to keep any oil refrigerated at home.
P.S.: Never heat or cook with flax oil. And generally, the only oils I recommend people cook with are olive and coconut, as they have high “smoke points” and will likely remain stable when heated to reasonable cooking temperatures.
2) Antioxidant levels in your body: You can consume the freshest of any essential fatty acid, but if you don’t have enough antioxidants in your bloodstream, the fat can actually go rancid inside your body. Again, this will create an excessive amount of free radicals and cause more harm than good. Living in today’s industrialized world contributes plenty to our free radical burden, so make sure you have enough antioxidants anyway; but especially if you are supplementing with essential fatty acids. You can obtain these through your diet from foods such as: berries, pomegranates, curcumin (the spice curry is made from), rosemary, 100% raw cacao (or chocolate), green tea and most fruits and vegetables in smaller amounts, among other sources. Additionally, you can take a broad-spectrum anti-oxidant supplement.
3) Source: If you are (or plan on) taking fish oil, be sure it comes from a reputable manufacturer. Otherwise, it’s quite likely that you’ll be consuming harmful chemicals (known as PCB’s) and the toxic metal mercury which unfortunately have made their way into the oceans and rivers, and ultimately fish.
I have found many over-the-counter brands that were more harmful than helpful to my patients. I’m not saying that all brands bought in stores are contaminated or rancid; just be careful. I determine how good an oil is for my patients based on specialized muscle testing techniques, palpatory pain thresholds and range of motion testing.
Dr. Robert D’Aquila – NYC Chiropractor – Applied Kinesiology
Duh, I never thought about the importance of antioxidants in your body when taking fish oils but it makes sense. Thanks!
The American Diabetes Association suggests an specific restrictions their saturated fat intake to about 7% per day but a usual Western diet gives you around 40%. Considering that too much fat stimulates poor health, it would be better to limit fats including those in coconut oil that have a higher risk of promoting health complications since most Americans get way a rediculous amount of saturated fat anyway. Google “Weight Loss Cover-Up Exposed” by Astrid Lasco, to find the truth about what really makes us sick. Read it people!
Corinne, thank you for your comment. Considering the staggering number of growing diabetes cases in the US, I’m wondering exactly what the American Diabetes Association is contributing. I’m sure they mean very well, but… Fat is essential for every cell in your body and also slows the absorption of glucose/sugar into the bloodstream – something that can be very helpful for diabetics. Too much of anything can stimulate poor health, and in the case of diabetes I wouldn’t be blaming fat. I’d look to too many starches and sugars. Additionally, I checked the American Diabetes Association website and browsed their recipes. Some ingredients and dishes are: fettuccine, risotto, canola oil, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, white whole-wheat flour, French Toast, waffles… I would never suggest that a diabetic eat these foods!!! This is ludicrous! To be fair, they do have some recipes and ingredients that would be fine, but not the ones I mentioned.
Also, how much more money do they need people to donate before they find a cure, if that’s what they’re looking for. There is a “cure” and it consists of simple dietary changes, exercise, supplements, and stress management. The information is out there and diabetes has been reversed by many people. Considering that diabetes is only becoming an increasingly prevalent problem, I’m wondering what sort of credit this organization deserves. The “American Diabetes Association” sounds so “official”, and as if they are the experts. Given the track record of Americans with diabetes, I can’t figure out what they are experts in.
Coconut oil is by far one the healthiest oils in existence, even with it’s high saturated fat content. That’s the topic of a future article.
By the way, I googled “Weight Loss Cover-Up Exposed” and learned little except that I can buy a book. Regardless, I hope your question and my response helps other readers, and thanks again for the comment.