Alternative Sources Of Omega-3 ALA And Omega-3 EPA And DHA Are Being Studied For Viability.

By Melanie Caplan


Such encouraging news has generated a good deal of interest in Omega 3 of late.

Genetic modification is also being explored, with one experiment inserting genes which will produce long-chain Omega-3 polyunsaturates into existing oilseed varieties. Another uses gene transfer technology to directly convert Omega-6 polyunsaturates to their Omega-3 counterparts.

As the health reputation of the Omega-3s grows, food manufacturers have explored the opportunity of fortifying everyday foods with Omega-3s. Omega-3 eggs are increasingly available; for example, bread fortified with 13mg of Omega-3 DHA per slice is now available in New Zealand and Australia. Malaysia has a cracker fortified with vitamins, minerals and both Omega-3 and Omega-6 EFAs and a similarly fortified margarine serves as a fine accompaniment.

In Sweden, a low fat liver pate is enriched with Omega-3, iron and vitamins. The Spanish can buy fruit juices fortified with milk, fiber, vitamins and Omega-3, and probiotic meal replacement bars, soups and milkshakes with Omega-3s. Finns market a blackcurrant juice with added Omega-6 and Omega-3 as ALA. This list is by no means comprehensive, particularly as it does not include the increasing number of infant milks, foods and supplements with added Omega-3 DHA.

Sources of Omega-3's

The problem with most meats nowadays is that they are mass produced, and grain-fed. Only grassfed meats -- not grainfed -- are foods containing omega 3 fatty acids.

The most common form of supplement is the capsule formulated from concentrated oils derived from those fish that have the high Omega 3 levels. Generally, the tablet will contain something around fifty percent from that source (fish) with the balance made up of other sources of fatty acids.

Omega-3 and omega-6 are fatty acids. Both of them are vital for your well-being and good health. However, the problem is that the vast majority of people in the Western world have an Omega-3 deficiency while ingesting a too much Omega-6's.

In short, the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 oils is way off kilter for optimal health.

First, let's address the cause of the rampant omega-3 deficiency. The first and foremost problem is the meats we eat. You see, because most animals are mass commercialized they are fed diets of grain and other unnatural substances.

EPA and DHA Omega 3 are found almost exclusively in aquatic plants and animals. They are synthesized by phytoplankton, which are consumed by fish, mollusks and crustaceans and thus concentrated in the aquatic food chain.




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