"Laurie Brooke Adams (Mother Mastiff)" asked:
>>For those of us who just can't handle fish very often and who can't
>>stand the after-taste of fish oil capsules, are flax oil capsules a
>>reasonable alternative??
My reply:
NOPE! Neither flax oil nor flax seeds can replace fish oil or oily
(non-farmed) deep ocean fish. Flax oil/seeds contain no DHA or EPA. Flax
seeds/oil contain ALA, some of which may be converted into EPA, but the
conversion rate is very low.
The most efficient way to supplement and sustain body stores of the
activated omega-3s (EPA and DHA) is to obtain them directly from foods. The
best sources include human motherıs milk, deep ocean fatty fish (salmon,
sardines, halibut, mackerel, and anchovies), shell fish, wild game, and cod
liver oil, which contain activated, ready-to-use . The EPA from fish oil
has a ³ten-fold greater impact on reducing the production of bad eicosanoids
than does alpha-linolenic acid on a gram-for-gram basis², says biochemist,
Barry Sears, Ph.D, author of the bestsellers, Enter the Zone and Mastering
the Zone.
My husband and I use flax oil in our home, but we still take cod liver oil
as they contain different nutrients.
Flax seed oil is the best source of ALA which is important in our diets
because the vegetable foods we now eat contain much lower levels of ALA than
wild foods eaten by our ancestors. However, ALA is not a substitute for EPA
or DHA, and according to recent research, the human body does not convert
ALA to EPA or DHA. Thus, every body must obtain preformed EPA and DHA from
animal sources to maintain health of the vascular and nervous systems. So,
it is wise to include a reliable, preformed source of EPA and DHA in your
daily diet.
"Laurie Brooke Adams (Mother Mastiff)" asked:>> I can tolerate tuna
occasionally as well as
>>white fish. I just never acquired a taste for salmon. I've tried the
>>fish oil capsules that are offered by Barry Sears when I tried the Zone.
>>I burped a fish taste all day long and just couldn't stand it.
white meat fish is a nourishing food, but not a source of omega-3s. For
some, using herbs and spices can make a big difference in making salmon more
appealing. Also, many people overcook fish, giving it a dry, less appealing
taste. To preserve EPA and DHA in fish, low temp methods and/or cooking it
briefly are important.
Another option is preparing salmon *ceviche style* check the archives for a
recipe.
>
Laurie said:
>It depends if you have reflux like I do. When I take flax oil capsules, I
>burp flax oil for a day and a half. I buy whole flax SEED at the local HFS
>and grind it in the blender immediately before use, mixing it in the dogs'
>veggie meals. I am planning to try adding it to muffins for myself, to see
>if I can get my omega-3s up that way, without reflux.
You have to eat a lot of flax seeds to get much flax oil out of them. 1
Tbsp. flax oil = 3-4 Tbsp. flax seeds. The fibers and lignans can prevent
absorption of much from these high fiber seeds. Btw: I've never had reflux
from using flax oil in salad dressings, mayonnaise (mixed with olive oil),
or spooning flax oil over sweet potatoes, steamed leafy green or mixed
veggies or using it in protein rich fruit smoothies. I've never had a
reason to use the flax oil capsules as I consider flax oil a food just like
olive oil (which I never eat off the spoon the way many people try to take
flax oil !)
>
>Rachel
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