Buying the Best Rated Fish Oil Supplements - Your Top 3 Selection Criteria
In this day and age, more and more consumers are turning to the internet to find and buy the best rated fish oil supplements. However, we all need to be more careful of what manufacturers say and don't take their claims for their face value.
The only way you can protect yourself from being scammed, is to become better informed. You have to become more aware of those criteria that distinguish the best rated fish oil supplements from the rest.
The sad truth is that, more often than not, when you see a review for fish oil supplements this is nothing more than a devious attempt to sell you something that is of inferior value.
Now, I don't want to sound unrealistic and claim that I don't favour a particular brand. Because I do, the one brand that my family and me have been using for years. On the other hand, I don't exaggerate like others and say that there are no other brands just as good.
What I will do in this article is tell you the criteria that I personally use. In this way, I am convinced that you will greatly increase your odds of buying one of the best rated fish oil supplements.
1. The first criterion has to do with the kind of processing that fish oil undergoes when extracted from the fish. The best by far method now is molecular distillation.
Why is this the best method? Because it is the most efficient in ensuring that all harmful contaminants within the fish are removed. You may not have realized this, but the sad reality is that our oceans are filled with harmful toxins (heavy metals, dioxins etc.) which are ingested by the fish.
In reaction to this fact, the FDA has issued a warning that we should all, especially pregnant or nursing women, limit our daily intake of fish.
Therefore, a warning flag should be raised in your mind when any of the self-acclaimed best rated fish oil supplements does not provide any evidence that their product is molecularly distilled.
2. The second criterion is related to the content breakdown of the soft gel itself in terms of types of essential fatty acids.
You see, there are several types of omega 3 essential fatty acids contained in the fish, but the most important for your health are two: DHA and EPA. Of these two, DHA is the most crucial to obtain, as it is especially important for the brain. 60% of the brain is fats and half of this is DHA!
Most of the products you will come across in the market have more EPA than DHA, but the best rated fish oil supplements have the opposite (more DHA).
And, beware of this: If a manufacturer won't release the content breakdown of their gels, then stay away from them! It's a red warning that their product is of questionable quality.
3. The last but not least criterion in your list should be the freshness of the supplements.
What most of the big manufacturers do is to transport the fish they use for a long distance until they reach the point that they actually do the extraction process for the fish oil.
But, as you very well know, fish loses its freshness very quickly. Therefore, it goes without saying, that if the time between catching the fish and extracting its oil is too long, then the fish oil will be oxidized (i.e. without freshness) as well.
My advice is this: Look for the total oxidation level (TOTOX for short) in the fish oil documentation. Make sure it is below the international standards (which also should be published in the documentation).
In conclusion, I really hope I have shed some light in your selection process for the best rated fish oil supplements.
About the Author:
Nicos Stylianou is a long time researcher and an expert on issues relating to healthy nutrition. To become better educated about the wonderful healing properties of omega 3 fish oil and see what he personally recommends and why, visit his website now at: http://www.your-nutrition-guide.com/omega-3-fish-oil.html
