How to get the omega-3 fatty acids Vegan style!!!!

I would be a total idiot if I said that Omega-3 doesn't have amazing benefits..  Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids: They are necessary for human health but the body can' t make them -- you have to get them through food. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut, other seafood including algae and krill, some plants, and nut oils. Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function, as well as normal growth and development. They have also become popular because they may reduce the risk of heart disease.Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be important for cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function. In fact, infants who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids from their mothers during pregnancy are at risk for developing vision and nerve problems. Symptoms of omega-3 fatty acid deficiency include fatigue, poor memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings or depression, and poor circulation.

While taking a little pill seems like an easy fix..  Here is what goes into making those fish oil supplements!!!

Fish and cod liver oils are known for their medicinal properties. They are used extensively in making medicines and other medicated drugs and syrups. Refined fish oil is produced in factories by removing the phospho-lipid content from the oil and removing other excretions of other innate aquatic worms.

Acid clay can be added to remove the pungent smell from the fish oil thoroughly and can be preserved for a long time. The process adopted for extracting the oil is called fermentation. The oil is heated and stirred to let the water content in the mixture evaporate. More than 60 percent of the mixture contains water as fish has an aquatic habitat. Ten to twenty percent of the mixture obtained from the fish body contains by-products which have to be removed temporarily and can be used for manufacturing other products apart from fish oil.

Once water and phospholipids are removed the residue that remains contains mostly fish oil. Little of caustic soda is added and then it is vacuumized using specific vacuum techniques. It is then dehydrated using dehydration techniques. Later on, deodorizing helps remove the bitter and pungent smell which makes withstanding the smell difficult. It is then preserved in an air tight container.

The acid and PH value is then tested and if it is found to be normal, it can be packed in metal containers. Manufacturing fish oil is not a homely job and requires great expertise and industrial set up. Good machinery for oil extraction and filtration aids in better quality of oil extraction and better quality of the product at the end. Generally fish oil is produced in large factories which are distantly located from the residential areas because they smell really bad. 


The machinery and time and the amount of fish this requires is taxing on the planet.  As well as the fact that there has been many cases of traces of chemicals in the supplements!!!  Here is some further reading material on the disadvantages!!! 


http://www.buzzle.com/articles/side-effects-of-fish-oil.html

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14501591

I don't know about you but whenever there is anything questionable about something I might be consuming I usually abort mission!!  I am a super natural girl, I don't need to be bothered by this junk...  So here we go....

This is where to go if you want to be in charge of your Omega 3 intake, how it's made, where it comes from...  You will be guaranteed better results and less potentially harmful chemicals that some times land themselves in fish oil supplements!!!

• Algae combined with nut / seed oil - Consuming algae such as spirulina can assist the body in properly converting omega 3 fats from the oils of nuts and seeds. This is one of the most common vegetarian replacements for fish oil. Spirualina as the algae and flax oil is the best combination although others are suitable as well.
• Black Currant Oil - Some nutritional sales spots say that the Omega-3 fatty acids ALA and Stearidonic Acid which are present in black currant oil can improve the cardiovascular system and help maintain the hormones that can lead to some types of depression so this may be a good vegetarian replacement for fish oil. However, the FDA hasn't confirmed this.
• Flax seed oil - This falls into the category above for seed oil combined with algae but it's good enough as a replacement to be worth mentioning on its own. Flax seed oil is also known to have other health benefits so you should learn more about this alternative.
• Vegetarian Fish Oil Replacement Supplements - Plenty of people get their fish oil simply by going to their nutritional store or drug store and picking up the tablets of it. As a vegetarian, you can do the same things. There are vegetarian alternatives to fish oil capsules, such as Seven Seas Vegetarian Omega-3. These may not be as easy to find as fish oil capsules but if you seek, they are there.

Please consider and share any ideas below...  Tread lightly!