What Is Fish Oil Actually Good For?
Tons of vitamins and supplements crowd shelves with various health and wellness claims. Fish oil supplements are a popular one—but what is fish oil good for? Here’s everything you need to know about the supplement.
What is fish oil?
Fish oil is fish fat extract, explains Alyssa Pike, RD, manager of Nutrition Communications for the International Food Information Council Foundation. This oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Essential fatty acids, like EPA and DHA, only come from foods like fish or dietary supplements. They are present in several supplements including fish oil, cod liver oil, krill oil, and vegetarian products that contain algal oil, Pike says. That’s why omega-3’s are one of the 16 vitamins and supplements doctors take every day.
Excerpted from Reader’s Digest
