Salba Oil Vs. Fish Oil

Salba oil and fish oil are both omega 3 supplements, but not all omega 3 fatty acids are equal. The type of omega 3 in salba oil is different from the type in fish oil. Omega 3 are essential fatty acids that have been linked to several health benefits, including protection from heart disease and cancer, according to the "Manual of Dietetic Practice." Salba oil is obtained from the salba grain --- introduced in the August 2007 issue of "Diabetes Care" as a new generation grain cultivated by selective breeding. Fish oil comes from the flesh of fish such as salmon and cod.

Omega 3 Quality

There are three main types of omega 3 fatty acids: ALA, or alpha-linolenic acid; EPA, or eicosapentaenoic acid; and DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid. The body can convert ALA into EPA and DHA, but conversion is inefficient. EPA and DHA are known to exert the strongest beneficial effects. Fish oils contain EPA and DHA, while salba oil contains ALA. In this respect, fish oil is better than salba oil.

Suitable for Vegans

If you are vegan or vegetarian, then salba oil is a suitable alternative to fish oil. Being a plant-based product, its production is more eco-friendly and sustainable than that of fish oil. This is an important issue nowadays, as fish stocks are declining. Salba oil is also a good alternative if you are allergic to fish protein. A further advantage of salba oil is that you will not experience fishy-smelling burps, which can be a problem with fish oil.

Contaminants

There is a concern about the possibility of fish oil containing industrial toxins such as mercury, dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCB. This is because some fish, particularly those with longer life spans, accumulate toxins from the sea within their bodies. These toxins are present in their oils. Although the top brands of fish oils carry out extensive testing of their products, purity may be an issue with some of the cheaper brands. This is not an issue with salba oil.

Backing Research

Literally thousands of scientific studies have investigated the health effects of fish oil. On the other hand, very few studies have been carried out investigating the consumption of salba. This is a drawback of any new product on the market, and it will take some time until there is enough backing research to permit a fair comparison of salba oil vs. fish oil.