There is a big market for food supplements and especially in this difficult time, we are all looking for things to keep us healthy. It can be hard to decide which supplement to take and how it will help us to stay on top of things. So in this article we will look into what makes Norwegian fish oil so special and how at Omega 3 of Norway a high quality product is made and what you should look out for when buying an omega-3 product.
Norwegian Fish Oil Tradition
Consuming fish oil on a regular basis has been a Norwegian tradition for centuries. Since in many parts of Scandinavia there are several months with little or no sun, “tran”, which is made from cod liver oil, has widely been consumed by its population for a long time. Tran contains Vitamin A, Vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids and is associated with many health benefits such as healthy skin and teeth, supporting joints and the cardiovascular system as well as mood stability. The fortification of food items has been used for decades in Scandinavia
Especially people living in the northern coastal regions of Norway have been known to have a history of consuming such fish oils, but it also used to be an important part of Norwegian economy as a whole, being one of its most valuable commodities. It was not just used for human consumption but also in fuel lamps, to tan skins and as an ingredient in soaps and paint.
The Kingdom of Norway therefore has a legacy and tradition of producing pure omega-3 fish oil since the beginning of the 19th century and here at Omega 3 of Norway we can rely on 170 years of experience in refining wild water marine omega-3 oils.
Why Norwegian Fish Oil Is So Good
Still today, Norwegian fish oil is highly valued and has a good reputation all over the world. This is not only based on the country’s history and experience in producing it, but also on both the environmental conditions and legal framework that are present today. Fish oil from Norway nowadays is top rated on the market for its purity and high content of the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which have many health benefits such as supporting your cardiovascular system, fortify your immune system and clear your skin.
The clean cold waters around the coast of Norway are an ideal environment for the fatty fish whose tissue is at the base of fish oil.
Additionally, there is a strict quality control regarding fish oil in Europe and Norway specifically, whereas in other countries such as the USA there are no fish oil quality standards. This further enhances the prime position of Norwegian fish oil and explains why it is so highly regarded all over the world.
The Norwegian Medicinal Standard (NMS) and the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3 (GOED) for example are two organisations which ensure that fish oil supplements meet certain standards to guarantee high quality products by setting maximum allowances for peroxides, heavy metals dioxins and PCB contents in fish oil.
How Omega 3 Of Norway Delivers Quality
Here at Omega 3 of Norway we don’t just value the high quality promise of Norway, we also aim to constantly evolve and improve our products and maintain the highest possible standards. We are achieving this by using a modern state-of-the-art production facility as well as imposing strict quality measures and controls on our manufacturing process. And it pays off! Our omega-3 was the first to be recognized by the sustainable seafood association Friends of the Sea and exceeds beyond all European and international standards for purity, traceability and sustainability.
We are using a unique and patented dual distillation method to achieve a high quality marine omega-3 oil made from wild water fish. This sophisticated process produces a pure and rich omega-3 oil in its natural triglyceride form with almost no taste and a neutral odor profile. We are also woking with a high quality supplier called Swiss Caps to manufacture the capsules our oils get stored in. Those small and easy to take capsules further increase the ease at which you can ensure your daily omega-3 intake. We also offer subscriptions in our shop (insert link) so you can make sure to never run out of capsules and keep on track with your healthy habits.
How To Choose What’s Best For You?
But how can you be sure that the supplement you want to take really benefits you? There are some quality indicators you can look out for when buying omega-3 supplements that we will explain below.What makes omega-3 fish oil so healthy are the fatty acids EPA and DHA it contains, which have a variety of functions and health benefits in our body. Since we cannot produce those fatty acids ourselves, we want to make sure the ones we do take can easily be absorbed into our metabolism and are of good quality.
In the selection of supplements on the market, the concentration of the fatty acids in omega-3 oils can range from 8% up to 80% so make sure you check this metric before you buy. The fish oil we sell at Omega 3 of Norway for example contains up to 90% of those essential polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Another important factor is the form and structure those fatty acids take in the oil. There are fish oil concentrates that can have high contents of EPA and DHA, however they are not in their natural molecular structure which can impact the way they are absorbed into our cells and how they work.
The natural structure that fats and oils take in plants and animals is called triglycerides and they form long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that can easily be absorbed into our cells. Through a chemical reaction the structure of these molecules can be changed and combines the fatty acids with ethanol. The resulting molecule is called an ethyl ester which can be distilled at lower temperatures, which in turn makes their purification process less expensive and allows for higher concentrations of the fatty acids. However, this breakdown of the natural structure can change how the molecule works and also changes it from a fish oil into a mere fish oil concentrate.
So while the fatty acid contents in those products might be high, they are of lower quality so you should make sure that the EPA and DHA are in their natural and more stable triglyceride form.
Not Just Fish
Next to fish oil, there is another source of omega-3 fatty acids that shares most of its health benefits: krill oil. Made from the small crustacean creatures living in the oceans of the world, this supplement contains EPA amd DHA just like fish oil does. While the krill we use at Omega 3 of Norway does not come from Norwegian waters but from the clean Southern Ocean around Antarctica, we still maintain a high quality production process to ensure the best possible product.
We are using modern and specifically designed vessels with a unique eco-harvesting technique to catch fresh krill and release unwanted by-catch. Our krill oil has also been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and is 100% traceable, guaranteeing sustainability and quality throughout the whole supply chain.
Since krill is a whole food the oil that is extracted from it does not need to be distilled but can just be filtered to purify it into a consumable form. Due to its small size, krill sit very low in the food chain which means that they contain very low levels of pollutants and therefore make for an excellent and clean source of omega-3 fatty acids. To add to its health benefits, krill also contains the antioxidant astaxanthin which gives it its red colour and also helps to protect our body from free radicals which can cause damage to our cells.
Norwegian Quality Is Just A Click Away
Supporting your body to stay healthy should always be a priority. A balanced diet and regular exercise are crucial elements for a healthy mind and body and with the products of Omega 3 of Norway you can work towards achieving just that.
In our shop we offer a variety of products so head over there now to browse and check out our blog for more information on all things omega-3!
Sources:
European journal of clinical nutrition