When most people think of Omega 3 sources, they think of fish oil or nuts first. But there are some new O-3 kids in town.
Traditionally, most commercial Omega 3 supplements come in the form of fish oil or krill oil — sometimes distilled, sometimes not. That’s kind of repugnant to some of us, especially vegans, and seal oil (another good source) is right out. Or, you can turn to certain nuts and seeds, particularly flaxseed, for your fatty acids.
But there are other good sources of Omega 3 that have just started coming onto the market in a serious way in the past few years. The origins of these Omega 3 sources are tiny: specifically, algae and other microbes. They’re ideal for the vegan, too, especially the algal options.
Little Tiny Plants
The Omega 3 derived from algae actually comes in several varieties, which contain varying levels of alphalinolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA are especially important for maintaining heart and brain health, and also serve to reduce inflammation.
Algae-based Omega 3 tends to be richest in DHA, though strains producing both EHA and DHA in significant quantities do exist. They’re produced using differing methods, according to the company producing them, and the specific technologies they employ in the process.
Some of the companies producing this form of O-3 do so via standard photosynthesis, with algae grown in saltwater ponds. Others mix the algae with sugar and water in enclosed vats, resulting in a sunlight-free fermentation process that produces mostly DHA.
Little Tiny Critters
A few years back, research began into the possibility of producing O-3 from a non-algae microbial source, based on patents owned and licensed by a German biotech firm, IMD. IMD hasn’t identified the specific microbe in question, but it offers great hope for a new source of Omega 3 rich in both EPA and DHA.
There’s no telling when this particular flavor of Omega 3 will appear on the market, but it will nicely expand the options when it does.
The Real Deal
Don’t assume that Omega 3 produced using algae or microbes is in any sense artificial; the organisms that produce it are 100% alive. There’s no known way to synthesize Omega 3 artificially, though some labs are definitely trying.
One benefit of these microbial sources is that you never have to worry about heavy metal contamination, which can certainly be an issue for fish-based Omega 3. The fish and fish oils richest in these fatty acids tend to be the same coldwater fish most likely to concentrate heavy metal pollutants in their tissues.
Obviously, this makes the new and forthcoming microbial sources preferable to many health conscious individuals. And of course, you could say that these tiny sources let fish “off the hook” somewhat when it comes to Omega 3 production!