Hi, everyone, and welcome back to Ask a Nutritionist, our weekly mini episode of Dishing at Nutrition.

I am Alyssa, Richard Dietitian with nutritional weight and wellness.

Today, we're quickly going to dive into the difference between omega-3 fish oil supplements and

cod liver oil and how to know which one you may want to take.

First, what exactly are omega-3 fats and why would you want to supplement with them?

So, omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat.

They are considered essential fatty acids because they are necessary for your health and well-being.

And they cannot be made by the body on its own.

You must get them from the diet, either from food and or supplements.

These fatty acids play important roles in different body processes affecting inflammation,

heart, brain, and eye health.

Omega-3 fatty acid deficiency is associated with many health concerns, including heart disease,

depression, and arthritis.

There are three main types of omega-3s that we focus on.

First is alpha-linolinic acid or aLA.

It's the most common omega-3 fatty acid in the diet.

It is found mostly in plant foods.

Think chia seeds, flax seeds, basil seeds, hemp hearts, and walnuts.

ALA is an essential precursor of the other main types of omega-3 fats, EPA and DHA.

The conversion process of ALA into EPA in DHA, unfortunately, is efficient in humans.

Only a very small percentage of ALA will be converted into EPA, and even less of it will be converted

into DHA.

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