Fish oil: friend or foe?

POSTED JULY 12, 2013, 12:50 PM , UPDATED JULY 24, 2019, 10:32 AM

Howard LeWine, M.D.
Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing

The answer is more friend than foe, if the fish oil comes from food sources rather than supplements.

Omega-3s in balance

What’s so special about fish oil? It’s loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. These must come from food, since our bodies can’t make them.

The two key omega-3 fatty acids are docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines are rich in these omega-3s. Some plants are rich in another type of omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid, which the body can convert to DHA and EPA. Good sources of these are flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and canola oil.

learn more here>>>https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fish-oil-friend-or-foe-201307126467