Fish Oil vs. Flaxseed: Which is Better?

Are you doing everything you can to keep your heart healthy? Heart disease is the number one cause of death in this country and lifestyle factors play a critical role in keeping the arteries clean and the heart pumping properly. One dietary factor that’s important for heart health are the polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish oils, flaxseed, and walnuts. Because not everyone is willing to eat the recommended two servings of fatty fish each week needed to supply the body with omega-3’s, more people are turning to supplements. An alternative to taking fish oil capsules is to add ground flaxseed to cereals, soups, and salads. Which is the better choice – fish oil or flaxseed?

Fish Oil or Flaxseed: What’s the Difference?

Fish oil supplements purchased from health food stores generally contain two omega-3 fatty acids – eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Ground flaxseed and walnuts are a source of another acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which is converted by the body to EPA and DHA. Unfortunately, this conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA may not be as efficient as it should be, meaning you need to eat more ground flaxseed to get the same benefits as taking fish oil capsules. It’s unclear exactly how much of the ALA from flaxseed is actually being converted to omega-3.

Fish Oil or Flaxseed: What About Fish Oil Contaminants?

Some people choose flaxseed over fish oil because of concerns about contaminants such as mercury in fish oil capsules. This may be unfounded. Most studies that have analyzed the purity of fish oil supplements have found them to be free of toxins, at least when purchased from a reputable company. This is because most purification of the high quality brands of fish oil is carried out by molecular distillation, a process which removes mercury and other toxins. Buying a high-quality fish oil supplement from a company that uses molecular distillation is the safest way to get the benefits of fish oils without the mercury and other toxins.

Fish Oil or Flaxseed: Flaxseed Advantages

One advantage to using ground flaxseed is that it may have additional health benefits because of its lignan content. Some studies suggest that these lignans help to protect against hormonally mediated cancers such as breast and prostate, although the verdict is still out. Lignans seem to have weak estrogen-like activity and may block estrogen receptors that stimulate tumor growth. Many vegetarians choose ground flaxseed as their source of omega-3’s since it’s free of animal products and some people just like the crunchy taste of ground flaxseed when its added to cereals.

Fish Oil or Flaxseed: The Bottom Line?

To get the benefits of omega-3’s, fish oil is probably a better choice unless you’re a vegetarian. Ground flaxseed does have health benefits, but it’s unclear how much of its ALA is actually converted to omega-3’s. Before starting either one of these supplements, talk to your doctor since fish oil can interact with some medications, particularly blood thinners.