Omega-3 Health Benefits: Knowing What’s In It Is More Important Than Who Makes It

With all the new omega-3 health reports coming out over the last couple of years, we’ve seen the phrase “omega-3” plastered on everything from cereals, cookies, milk, salmon, and almost anything else that either has some grain or fish oil in it.

Grilled Salmon. Stock photo.

Earlier this year, out of 6,012 respondents to a survey by ConsumerLab.com, 74 percent said they were users of “fish oil/omega-3 supplements.” ConsumerLab.com provides independent test results and information on health, wellness, and nutrition products to consumers and healthcare professionals.

So, some questions. What are omega-3s? Do they all do the same thing? And, are there any health risks associated with them?

An omega-3 is an unsaturated fatty acid found mostly in certain kinds of fish (salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel, lake trout, and albacore tuna) and plants (flaxseed, butternuts, hempseeds, walnuts, soy beans, and canola oil).

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