Vegan Omega-3 – Do Vegans Need It?

Abstracts:

• Omega-3 is a group of fatty acids that the body cannot produce itself and must be obtained by eating nuts, seeds and fish.
• Vegans have difficulty getting the benefits of omega-3 because they cannot consume fish and nuts and seeds do not contain enough omega-3.
• Taking vegan omega-3 is the best option for vegans and vegetarians because they get the benefits of omega-3 directly from the source.

What is Omega-3?

Omega-3 is a group of fatty acids whose regular consumption brings many health benefits. They are not produced by the body itself and must therefore be obtained by eating foods such as nuts, seeds and fatty fish.

However, it is not easy to get the right amount of omega-3 fatty acids from food alone. Nuts and seeds contain the omega-3 fatty acid ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), which cannot be utilized by the body and must be converted into EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which are the most useful fatty acids for the body. This conversion is very inefficient, which means that large amounts of nuts and seeds would have to be consumed to get the full benefit.

On the other hand, fish such as salmon and tuna contain EPA and DHA, which come from eating algae. Therefore, eating fish is a great way to get the benefits of omega-3. However, this is not an option for vegans and vegetarians.

How can vegans and vegetarians consume omega-3 fatty acids?

Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or meat-eater, it can be difficult to get enough fatty acids. This is mainly due to the fact that of the three species mentioned above, only ALA is easy to obtain.

Unfortunately, ALA is also the least useful of the three fatty acids because the body cannot utilize it directly. It must be converted into the more useful EPA and DHA forms, from which the great benefits are derived.

However, EPA and DHA are only found in marine sources such as fatty fish.

For vegans, vegetarians, or anyone who doesn’t eat a lot of fatty fish, it’s important to know that most plant-based sources of omega-3s, such as walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, or soybeans, are in the form of ALA and contain almost no DHA or EPA.

While it is true that the human body can convert ALA to EPA and DHA, it does a pretty poor job of it. In fact, only 5-20% of ALA fatty acid is converted to EPA and only 0.5-4% to DHA.

That means you need to consume 6,250 mg of ALA daily to get the minimum 250 mg of DHA you need!

That’s a lot of walnuts (about 70 of them, to be exact)!

EPA and DHA

EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids (sometimes called marine fatty acids) are a whole different story. These long-chain fatty acids are more bioavailable, which means they are easily absorbed and immediately available to the body.

Omega-3 DHA has been more thoroughly researched, which is why we know so much about its anti-inflammatory effects, its role in supporting cell membranes, and its ability to support brain and eye function. It also plays a crucial role in the development of the fetus and is therefore particularly important for pregnant women.

Omega-3 EPA is also important. EPA may be better at inhibiting inflammation and supporting recovery from traumatic brain injury, but it’s probably best not to get too hung up on the differences between DHA and EPA. Your body can convert DHA to EPA when needed, and both perform very similar functions.

As we mentioned earlier, DHA and EPA are usually derived from fatty fish like salmon or mackerel, but you may be surprised to learn that fish, just like us, can’t make their own omega-3.

They get it from certain types of marine algae that they eat. Basically, the omega-3 rich algae in the ocean are eaten by small fish and crustaceans like krill, which in turn are eaten by larger fish like salmon.

Omega-3 accumulates in the larger fish, which is why fish is considered a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.

So, to return to the original question of how vegans and vegetarians can obtain DHA and EPA, the answer lies in nature itself. We can obtain them from the same natural source as fish – marine algae.

Vegan sources of omega-3: What vegan foods contain omega-3?

There are only a few vegan sources of omega-3: Nuts, seeds or algae.

But before you make a decision, you should be aware of the differences.

Omega-3 DHA is the real powerhouse that delivers the key benefits of omega-3, and it is only found in marine sources.

Nuts and seeds are rich in ALA, which we know is poorly converted to DHA. Our bodies can also produce EPA when we have enough DHA through a process called retroconversion.

So the real benefit to our health is an adequate amount of DHA, which you can only get on a vegetarian or vegan diet from algae oil.

While you can try to incorporate algae into your diet, supplements are the least expensive, most readily available, and most reliable source of omega-3 fatty acids from algae.

Are algae the best source of omega-3 for vegans and vegetarians?

We firmly believe that algae are the best possible source of omega-3 fatty acids (and not just for vegans). The DHA contained in algae is clean, easily digestible and highly bioavailable. It is the original source of nature!

It is also combined with many other beneficial compounds that have been shown to lower serum cholesterol levels.

Algae-based supplements are also eco-friendly, ethical, and sustainable, which means you don’t have to worry about them wreaking havoc on the environment, unlike fish oils.

Best of all, algae is grown in a controlled environment, which means there is no risk of accidental contamination from mercury, dioxins, PCBs, microplastics or other pollutants commonly found in our oceans.

The sad truth is that our oceans are more polluted today than ever before, and unfortunately these harmful toxins are accumulating in the bodies of marine animals – especially larger fish.

Many people eat these fatty fish and the fish oils made from them to get omega-3 fatty acids, not knowing the long-term damage the toxins can do to their health.

How much omega-3 do vegetarians and vegans need?

In order for you to make your own informed decisions about the amount of fatty acids to consume, it is important to first know something about the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6.

Omega-6 is another type of fatty acid that has a similar chemical structure to omega-3. The balance between these two fatty acids is often overlooked when it comes to omega-3 intake, so let’s touch on that briefly.

The importance of the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6

The ratios are a rough guide to how omega fatty acids should be balanced in your diet.

According to experts, humans have evolved with a diet that has a 1:1 ratio between omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. Unfortunately, our modern diets tend to contain a 1:16 or 1:20 ratio for these essential nutrients, meaning that many of us are consuming up to twenty times more omega-6 fatty acids than the human body can naturally tolerate.

While a certain amount of omega-6 fatty acids is important in the diet, this ratio is far from balanced and we generally consume far too much omega-6.

This is important because too much omega-6 can interfere with the absorption of omega-3 in the body. It also has a pro-inflammatory effect on the body, so it is important to bring this ratio to 1:1 as much as possible.

In general, the best way to restore this balance is to reduce the intake of omega-6 fatty acids and consume more high-quality omega-3 fatty acids. Consuming more omega-3 fatty acids naturally reduces the formation of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids while ensuring your body gets enough EPA and DHA it needs.

Summary

Omega-3 fatty acids belong to the family of “good fats” that help maintain heart, brain and eye health while fighting inflammation and supporting a healthy pregnancy.

There are three main types: Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

ALA is found primarily in plants, nuts and seeds, while EPA and DHA are found primarily in marine sources.

Omega-3 DHA and EPA have a number of health benefits; they are needed to nourish the brain, maintain healthy eyes, regulate inflammation and keep cells in good condition.

ALA cannot be used directly by the body and must be converted by the body into EPA and DHA. Unfortunately, the body is only able to convert a very small amount.

Most of us have trouble getting enough of the beneficial fatty acids DHA and EPA; research has shown that the modern population – especially in Western countries – is rapidly becoming deficient. For vegans, the problem is even greater because they do not have access to the DHA and EPA fatty acids found in fatty fish.

Fortunately, there is a solution, and it’s a marine microalgae called Schizochytrium sp. that is currently the world’s only plant-based source of DHA and EPA.

The algae oil extracted from it is 100% vegan, but also for non-vegans it is the perfect choice for sustainable omega-3 fatty acids that do not harm the oceans