| Yikes! Mercury! You mean to tell me there might | | | | Then there's the selecting of fish and processing |
| be mercury in my fish oil? Yeah, and PCBs too. If | | | | of fish oils. How can you be sure a company that |
| that's the case, what's a healthy consumer to do? | | | | sells fish oils aren't using the garbage fish, diseased |
| Wake up and pay attention is the first thing. Yes! | | | | fish or fish graded for cat food and fertilizer? |
| Heavy metals, toxins and poisons in fish are a real | | | | This brings us to my second recommendation. |
| concern, but only if you don't know the source of | | | | Only buy fish oils from companies that use health |
| your fish, the manufacturer's practices, their | | | | screened fish, graded for human consumption and |
| scientific quality control and the commitment of | | | | listed on the label. This last point is important |
| the company behind the product (making a | | | | because otherwise you'd have no way of |
| healthy difference vs. making a healthy profit). | | | | knowing what fish are being used. |
| You need to know that not all fish are created | | | | And finally, how can you be certain their |
| equal. Besides having varying amounts of | | | | processing doesn't include pressing the fish organs, |
| important nutritional oils, they live in different | | | | which are high in Vitamin A, D, heavy metals and |
| places, have different feeding habits and react | | | | toxins? |
| differently to captivity (as in "farm raised"). | | | | My third and final recommendation is to buy fish |
| Some fish live and feed in cold waters and are | | | | oils from a company that only presses the oils |
| much richer in omega 3 fatty acids. Some fish are | | | | from the flesh - not the organs. This is the only |
| bottom feeders and have higher levels of toxins | | | | way you can be sure there are no heavy metals |
| and heavy metals than open water feeders. | | | | and toxins and no hidden Vitamin A and D. Not |
| Some fish feed predominantly in estuaries where | | | | that there's anything wrong with A and D, but it's |
| industrial pollution flows down rivers. While still | | | | important to know how much you're getting, |
| other fish are raised in collective tanks, ponds and | | | | because too much can be harmful for certain |
| pools with little to no efficient fresh water | | | | people. |
| circulation, increasing the likelihood of contamination | | | | Follow these tips and you won't go wrong. You |
| with things like PCBs. | | | | may have to ask the company who supplies your |
| So, my first recommenation is that you want to | | | | omega 3 fish oils if they follow these practices |
| choose a company that uses specific fish (salmon, | | | | too. If you get unfavorable or evasive answers |
| for example) that live and are caught in cold, open | | | | then you need to get online and do more |
| waters. | | | | research. |