Plant-based Omega-3 vs. Fish Oil Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial/essential to keep your body healthy. They’re linked to a better immune system, brain function, joint & eye health, and even cardiovascular health. However, as your body can’t produce omega-fatty acids on its own, you need to consume them from your diet.

The good news is that supplements can help bridge the gap and provide the necessary omega-3s for overall health.

And when it comes to consuming omega-3 fatty acids, there’s fish omega for non-vegetarians and plant-based omega both for vegans or non-vegans. But apart from the sources, how are vegan omega and fish omega different, and which one’s better? Well, read along to find out.


1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Fish oil contains EPA, DHA, and DPA. These are long-chain omega-3s, meaning that the fatty acid chain is longer. This allows it to be more flexible and to incorporate more easily into cell & brain membranes.

Plant based omega-3s provide mainly Alpha-linoleic acid or ALA and are not abundant in EPA and DHA except Algae and Seaweed. This is a short-chain omega-3 fatty acid.

While vegan omega that contains only ALA offers you benefits (reduces the risk of heart diseases), they’re quite limited. On the other hand, fish omega contains EPA and DHA, offering way more benefits than ALA, such as vision support, enhance recovery, lower inflammation, proper foetal development, anticoagulation, better heart health, growth, and development.

Researchers have shown that the conversion of ALA into other essential omega-3s happens only minimally. In fact, only about 5% of ALA is converted into EPA, and less than 1% is converted into DHA. This means that getting enough of these essential fatty acids from plant sources is very challenging.


2. Environmental Impact
When it comes to environmental impact, plant-based omega-3 is generally considered to be the better option compared to fish omega-3. Fish are often caught using unsustainable and harmful fishing practices, which can lead to overfishing and damage to marine ecosystems. Plant-based omega-3 supplements are produced through a sustainable and environmentally friendly process that doesn't involve the capture of wild fish.


3. Contamination and Pollution
Additionally, plant-based omega-3 supplements are typically free from contaminants like mercury, which can be present in some fish-based supplements. Some fish omega supplements are usually made without using molecular distillation and fractionation processes which means the fish oil may still contain impurities, heavy metals, etc.


4. Taste and Preferences
Fish oil supplements can have a distinct fishy taste and odour, which some people find unpleasant. Some individuals may experience a fishy aftertaste or burping with fish oil supplements, which can be quite off-putting. Meanwhile, plant-based omega-3 supplements typically do not result in a fishy aftertaste or burping, which can make them more appealing to some individuals. They generally have a milder taste compared to fish oil. Some people describe them as neutral to slightly nutty.
So, based on the above explanation, although fish omega seems to be better, it actually depends on your personal preferences. The choice between them depends on dietary preferences, health goals, and sustainability concerns.

For instance, if you’re a vegan, you can go for vegan omega that offers your ALA and other vegan supplements offering you EPA and DHA to fulfill your body’s requirement and reap the maximum benefits.

It's important to consult with a healthcare professional or nutritionist to determine the most suitable source for your specific dietary and health needs.

Source(s): Journal of American College of Nutrition, British Journal of Nutrition, nih.gov