Supermarkets are now carrying a range of products that tout their added omega-3 content as a health benefit. Everything from mayonnaise to cereal to eggs can be found with omega-3 added in. But are these products really better for your health?
Probably not, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). While the omega-3s DHA and EPA have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and vision problems, the type of omega-3 typically added to food products is ALA - and ALA may not give you the same health benefits.
CSPI is calling on the FDA to require labels with omega-3 claims to describe the type and amount of omega-3, however until then consumers will need to be wary. CSPI pointed to the following misleading food labels:
- Breyers Smart! Yogurt: Each serving contains just 32 mg of DHA, which is the amount in just three-quarters of a teaspoon of salmon.
- Kashi Go Lean Crunch! Honey Almond Flax: 500 mg of omega-3 are advertised, but it’s not clear whether it’s ALA, DHA, or EPA. Land O Lakes Omega-3
- All-Natural Eggs: The labels says each serving contains 350 mg of omega-3, but independent lab tests revealed that less than half of it is DHA and EPA.
- Silk Soymilk Plus Omega-3 DHA: The label says that each cup of milk has 400 mg of omega-3, however each servings contains just 32 mg of DHA.
CSPI recommends getting omega-3 from fish oil, algal oil, or by eating fatty fish such as salmon.A six-ounce serving of Atlantic salmon contains over 3,000 mg of DHA and EPA — more than 100 times the amount found in DHA-fortified yogurt, milk, or soy milk. Don’t like fish? Ask Gini about Whole food supplements, avalable through The Well Being. There are now reputable, whole food supplements available that can give you the Omegas that your body needs, without the fishy taste!
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