For Healthiest Fats, Choose Fish Over Fish Oil

By Kevin Vazquez

Eating food with good-for-you fats like omega-3 is recommended for the health benefits, but supplements alone might not provide the same advantages as consuming the food itself.

The nutritional supplements industry is as profitable as ever, and omega-3 is one of its biggest moneymakers. Reasons for taking supplements can range from not having the time to cook the right foods, to just plain not liking to eat them.

Fish is the most common source of omega-3. A study conducted by Cochrane Library shows consumption of fish delayed the reduction of brain function by 13 percent per year, while those who took omega-3 supplements did not see any significant results.

“We always recommend getting the nutrients from the food,” Christina Duong, Santa Ana College’s health educator, said.

Besides the health benefits from consuming food with healthy fats over taking omega-3 alone, the supplements can also harm the body with excessive use.

Vape pens have been all the rage, and marketed as a safe product, but health experts disagree.

1 Among the 18-to-29-year-old demographic, e-cig use has gone up dramatically.

2 Among all age demographics, tobacco use has gone down, according to the Center for Disease Control.

3 Researchers may have found traces of formaldehyde in the e-cig juice. The odorless, flammable chemical is a carcinogen.