Your body loves and needs good fats, like those found in fatty fish, nuts, avocado, olives, and plant oils. These healthy fats, known as omega-3s, get used for important systems and structures, like nerve-packed brain tissue and healthy, flexible blood vessels. Let’s explore the many benefits of omega-3s, and the best ways to add them to your day.
Key Takeaways:
- Omega 3 fatty acids (primarily EPA and DHA) support heart, brain, eye, and joint health.*
- Fish oil and algae oil are the most effective supplement sources of EPA and DHA.
- Wild Alaskan salmon oil and vegan algae oil are high-quality options for supplementing your EPA and DHA.
What Are Omega 3 Fatty Acids?
Omega-3s are a type of unsaturated fat (that’s the good kind) that your body has to get from food. That’s because the human body can’t make adequate amounts of omega-3s on its own.
The Three Main Types (EPA, DHA, ALA)
According to research, the most important omega-3s for human health are EPA, DHA, and ALA.
| Short name | Full name | Chemical designation | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPA | Eicosapentaenoic acid | C20:5n-3 | Fish and microalgae |
| DHA | Docosahexaenoic acid | C22:6n-3 | Fish and microalgae |
| ALA | Alpha-linolenic acid | C18:3n-3 | Plants (e.g., walnuts, flax seed, soybeans) |
Source: Omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet, National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements
Why Omega 3s Matter for Overall Health
Getting enough omega-3s is crucial for overall wellness. Why so key? Well, your body uses EPA and DHA as building blocks for cells and to make signaling molecules that work in the cardiovascular system and other systems. Those are vital, indispensable jobs. Your liver can convert small amounts of ALA into EPA and DHA, but not very efficiently. That’s why it’s important to get EPA and DHA from food and/or supplements.
What Are the Main Health Benefits of Omega 3 Fatty Acids?
Your body uses omega-3s for everything from retina structure to blood vessel health, from brain tissue to joint function. Omega-3s are also part of all cell membranes.
Heart & Cardiovascular Support
Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to healthy blood pressure and healthy triglyceride levels, which are key for overall heart and cardiovascular health. In fact, EPA and DHA are so important to your heart that the American Heart Association recommends eating 2 servings of fish per week to make sure you’re getting what you need.
Brain & Cognitive Health
Your brain is literally made of omega-3s—about 35% by weight. DHA makes up around 40% of the omega-3s in the brain. That makes DHA a key structural fat for healthy brain development. Research finds that omega-3s are involved in cognitive function and nerve function.
Eye Health
Similar to its role in the brain, DHA is a major structural component of the retina. (Your retina is the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye that sends visual signals on to the brain.) Studies have found that regular intake of DHA and EPA help to maintain eye health over time.
Joint Support
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to joint health, too. They nourish joint tissues and help support mobility.
Pregnancy & Early Life
As you can imagine, since omega-3s are integral to eye and brain structure, they’re fundamental building blocks for infants as their brains, eyes, and nervous systems are forming and growing. Omega-3s are recommended during pregnancy and nursing for this exact reason—to make sure your child has what they need for healthy development right from the start.
Understanding Omega 3 Sources
If you want to add more omegas to your routine, what kind should you look for? Here’s a breakdown of the top sources of omega-3s in supplements.
Algae Oil
Fish oil is a popular omega-3 supplement, but it’s not the only kind. Like humans, fish actually get their omega-3s from the food they eat, namely algae. So, it’s totally possible to skip the fish and go straight to the potent plant source of omega-3s in the form of algae oil supplements. Because algae are tiny plants, algae oil supplements are typically 100% vegan (they contain no animal products).
Krill Oil
Krill oil comes from small, shrimp-like crustaceans that contain DHA and EPA. It’s being studied as a possible alternative to fish oil supplements. Krill are low on the marine food chain (meaning they are important food for larger animals, like whales and penguins).
Best Omega 3 Fish Oil: Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil
We know that fatty, cold-water fish is a great source for fish oil supplements that are bursting with heart-healthy omega-3s. Among them, our favorite fish is superfood salmon that’s wild-caught in Alaska.
What Makes Salmon Oil a Strong Omega 3 Source?
Wild Alaskan salmon oil delivers the whole-food profile of salmon oil as it’s found in nature, including 17 omega fatty acids (like DHA and EPA) as well as naturally occurring vitamin D3 and astaxanthin. Salmon is a preferred source of omega-3s because it’s a whole-food alternative to high-heat purified oils from smaller forage fish. And if it’s wild salmon oil from Alaska, that means it’s harvested under strict guidelines to ensure environmentally responsible fishery management.
New Chapter’s Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil
Wholemega fish oil is the gold standard in fish oil from New Chapter®. This deep amber-colored oil is consciously crafted with 100% wild Alaskan salmon oil—no farmed salmon, no genetically modified salmon.
- Clinically proven heart support: Studies show this formula helps to retain healthy triglyceride levels and helps to improve the Omega-3 Index in just 2 weeks*
- Multiple omega benefits: Provides fatty acids that are essential to support brain, eye, joint, and skin health*
- 17 omega fatty acids: Delivers 935 mg of highly absorbable† good omegas per 2-softgel serving
- The first Upcycled Certified supplement of its kind! Wholemega is made with nutritious salmon trim that would otherwise have gone to waste
- Extra-virgin & fresh-pressed: Our gentle, food-grade process preserves the whole-food profile of salmon oil, including naturally occurring astaxanthin and vitamin D3
- Tested and trusted: Meets strict NSF safety testing standards for mercury and other heavy metals‡
- Contains our Botanical Antioxidant Stability System™ with oregano and rosemary extracts that help preserve the oil’s freshness
- Also available as Wholemega Tiny Caps™ (small and easy to swallow) and Wholemega for Moms (supports baby’s brain and eye health during pregnancy and breastfeeding*)
Omega-3 Complex is New Chapter’s one-daily fish oil supplement that lets you add quick and easy heart-health maintenance to any routine.
- Delivers highly absorbable† omega-3 fatty acids DHA & EPA that are essential for heart, brain, eye, joint, and skin health*
- Upcycled wild Alaskan salmon oil contains naturally occurring astaxanthin and vitamin D3
- We use the same fresh-pressed, food-grade process and careful testing as with Wholemega fish oil
Read more: What Is Fish Oil? (Why Should You Be Taking It?)
Best Vegan Omega 3 Supplement: Algae Derived EPA & DHA
Why Algae Oil Is an Excellent Plant Based Omega 3 Source
Algae is the original source of EPA and DHA in the marine food chain. That means the omega-3s we treasure in fish actually come from marine microalgae—tiny, single-celled ocean plants that the fish eat. Microalgae can also be cultivated on land in a carefully controlled aquaculture environment. Algal oil supplements are often made with these potent, nutritious algae.
New Chapter’s Algae Omega 3 Oil
Vegan Omega-3 Complex is 100% vegan omega-3 fatty acids extracted from the naturally concentrated, plant-based source: microalgae. Our clinically studied algal oil is more potent per gram than fish oil!§
- Provides concentrated DHA and EPA in the ratios found in nature
- Also provides another researched Omega-3, DPA (Docosapentaenoic acid)
- Well-absorbed omega-3s support heart, brain, eye, and joint health*
- Grown in the USA in clean, traceable conditions
- Suitable for vegans, vegetarians, and those avoiding fish for any reason
- Convenient one-daily softgels
Read more: The Complete Guide to Vegan Omega-3 Supplements
Recommended Daily Intake
Recommended dietary allowances tend to refer to vitamins and minerals and not good fats. So, there are no established amounts for how much EPA and DHA to consume.
That said, health authorities do give some guidance:
The Food & Agriculture Organization (an agency of the United Nations) recommends that adults consume 250 mg daily of EPA plus DHA. During pregnancy and lactation this increases to 300 mg daily of combined EPA and DHA.
The American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish (like salmon) at least 2 times a week. One serving is 3 ounces (3/4 cup) of cooked fish. Keep in mind that Wholemega fish oil, if taken daily, delivers the omegas of 3 servings of salmon per week. Right on target!
If you have questions about taking omega-3s, check in with your health-care provider for personalized help.
How to Choose the Best Omega 3 Supplement
You’re ready to plus up your daily routine with omega-3s. That’s great! So, how do you shop for the best omega-3 supplements for you?
Check EPA + DHA Content (Not Just “Fish Oil mg”)
Read the Supplement Facts panel on omega-3 products to see how much EPA and DHA are delivered per serving. You can also check the serving size (how many to take per day). New Chapter omega-3 supplements help cover your daily EPA and DHA, see our chart below.
| New Chapter Omega-3s | Serving size | EPA & DHA Content |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemega Fish Oil | 2 softgels daily | 180 mg EPA, 220 mg DHA |
| Wholemega Tiny Caps | 4 mini softgels daily | 180 mg EPA, 220 mg DHA |
| Wholemega for Moms | 4 mini softgels daily | 180 mg EPA, 220 mg DHA |
| Omega-3 Complex Fish Oil | 1 softgel daily | 90 mg EPA, 110 mg DHA |
| Vegan Omega-3 Complex | 1 softgel daily | 125 mg EPA, 250 mg DHA |
Look for Third Party Testing & Independent Validations
Because not all fish oils are the same, you can check omega-3 supplements for third-party validations as another proof of quality. These independent assessments help show if you’re getting the ingredients you expect for the wellness benefits you deserve.
- Wholemega fish oils meet strict NSF safety testing standards for mercury and other heavy metals.‡
- Our wild Alaskan salmon oil is third-party validated by Certified Seafood International (CSI) to meet their environmentally responsible fishery management standard.
- Our wild Alaskan salmon oil was the first of its kind to be Upcycled Certified®, helping to avoid food waste by using only nutritious, upcycled salmon trim that would otherwise be discarded.
- Our Omega-3 supplements are certified gluten free by NSF (including Vegan Omega-3 Complex).
- Our Omega-3 supplements are iGen non-GMO tested, meaning the products are confirmed not to include GE (genetically engineered) genes or proteins.
Read more: New Chapter’s Third-Party Certifications
Add Omega-3s to Your Routine!
Long ago, when human lives intertwined with nature every day, Earth’s oceans and rivers provided our ancestors with needed nutrients like good fats. Today, most of us are no longer deeply linked to nature’s foods and cycles. Fortunately, we can seek out high-quality dietary supplements to fill nutritional gaps. If you’re interested in supporting your heart, brain, eye, and/or joint health, consider omega-3 supplements from New Chapter. Same goes for anyone who is pregnant or nursing—our omega-3s can give your growing child the fats they need for healthy brain and eye development. Since 1982, we’ve been working with the finest ingredients from nature to deliver expertly crafted supplements for every body.
† Wild Alaskan salmon oil is fresh pressed to deliver healthy omegas for better absorption.
‡ Meets or exceeds NSF/ANSI 173 Standard for mercury & other heavy metals as Certified by NSF.
§ Compared to New Chapter fish oil products
