The omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA are crucial for brain health through all stages of life
One of the foundational principles of the Nutritarian diet is to limit or avoid animal products. Many people know that they need omega-3 fatty acids in their diet, so they eat fish as their primary source of these nutrients. But while a small amount of wild-caught fish (less than 6 oz. per week) may be acceptable, it is still not a favorable source of EPA and DHA. That’s because fish may provide pollutants and other serious drawbacks:
- The excess animal protein can raise IGF-1 levels, into a harmful range.
- Microplastic particles from the dumping of plastic garbage into our oceans and waterways.
- Fish often contains high levels of other pollutants such as methylmercury and PCBs.
My opinion is that the benefits of eating fish do not outweigh the risks—especially when you can use a clean algae-based omega-3 supplement. Additionally, an algae-derived DHA and EPA, such as my DHA+EPA Purity, is a more sustainable option, and it is free of the environmental pollutants that accumulate in the fatty tissues of fish. If you do eat fish, I recommend limiting your consumption to 6 ounces per week, and sticking with varieties that are lowest in mercury, such as trout, flounder, oysters, sardines, shrimp, pollock and wild salmon.
Can I Meet My Omega-3 Needs With Nuts and Seeds?
Conversion of ALA (from walnuts, flax seeds and chia seeds) varies between individuals, is overall inefficient, and is most often insufficient to provide optimal DHA levels. A study measuring blood DHA and EPA in a vegan population found that 64 percent were insufficient and some were very severely deficient. Those insufficiencies were not related to ALA intake (which was far above recommended intake), suggesting that genetic or other inherent differences in conversion enzyme activity determines DHA and EPA levels more than ALA intake. Also in this study, a moderate dose of algae-derived DHA and EPA (254 mg/day) was able to normalize the levels when rechecked four months later. This research confirms that high ALA intake in many cases is not enough to assure DHA and EPA adequacy, and suggests that omega-3 supplementation is a useful adjunct to a healthful diet.
