Microalgae Omega 3 For Vegetarians

The modern diet, of vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, lacks a healthy variety of foods which meet all basic nutritional needs. It is perhaps a reality of modern life that diet requires supplementation to prove the body with what it needs to function at its highest potential. As "Current Diabetes Reviews" says, "many processed foods are nonfunctional and dysfunctional foods and result in diets containing little omega-3 nutritional complement."

The Benefits of Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acids are therapeutic for many cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and high blood pressure. Further, omega-3 plays a protective role in health and might prevent the development of several heart and circulatory diseases. Fish oil is a rich source of these health promoting acids and is commonly sold in supplement form. A vegetarian alternative to this popular supplement is available in microalgae supplements.

Fish are Not the Source of Omega-3

Although several small species of fish have high concentrations of omega-3, the concentrations are a result of accumulating the oils in their bodies as a result of eating microalgae that produce the oil. Larger species of fish acquire high concentrations from eating smaller fish. One disadvantage is that both small and large fish are also exposed to environmental pollutants in water, such as mercury. Most fish oil supplements are processed for purity, but omega-3 supplements derived from organically grown microalgae offer another choice, as well as provide vegetarians a suitable omega-3 supplement.

Microalgae Oil is Different

There is a significant difference between microalgae oil and fish oil. The fatty acids found in omega-3 are docosahexaenoic acid, called DHA, and eicosapentaenoic acid, called EPA. Although fish oil contains high concentrations of both fatty acids, microalgae oil does not. Some types of algae, such as algal phyla, are high in EPA but low in DHA. Other types, such as schizochytrium algae, are just the opposite -- containing mostly DHA and only some amounts of EPA. Fish get high concentrations of both EPA and DHA from eating a variety of algae, making fish oil supplements a good source for both EPA and DHA. Omega-3 supplements made from commercially grown algae are typically rich in DHA and contain significantly less EPA than fish oil. The higher levels of EPA are owed to the fact that algae rich is DHA are more difficult to cultivate.

The Difference Might not Matter

It is currently unclear which component, EPA or DHA, plays a more significant role in the health benefits of omega-3 or if both are needed to gain the benefits of omega-3 supplementation. Further, since vegetarian microalgae supplements are not completely free of DHA, its possible that if health benefits come from the combination, microalgae remain a viable alternative for vegetarians. The current research on microalgae oil, as reported in "Current Diabetes Reviews" supports further research as early testing indicates it's just as effective as fish oil.