Fish Oils

Fish oils come from fatty fish, also known as oily fish, specifically the tissue of fatty fish, such as trout, mackerel, tuna, herring, sardines, and salmon.

- Dr. Rashima Arora

Fish oils come from fatty fish, also known as oily fish, specifically the tissue of fatty fish, such as trout, mackerel, tuna, herring, sardines, and salmon.

Fish oils are of interest to nutritionists and health care professionals because of two main ingredients: DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) - both types of Omega-3 fatty acids.

The fillets of oily fish contain up to 30% oil; this figure may vary. White fish, on the other hand, only contain high concentrations of oil in the liver, and have much less oil. Apart from omega-3 fatty acids, oily fish are also good sources of vitamin A and D. Whitefish also contain these nutrients, but at much lower concentrations.

Many health authorities around the world advise people to consume either plenty of oily fish or to take supplements, because of their supposed health benefits. Studies over the last ten years have produced mixed results regarding the benefits of the dietary intake of fish oils.

Some people confuse fish oils and cod liver oil - they are different. Fish oils are extracted from the tissue of deep sea oily fish such as tuna, mackerel, herring and salmon. Cod liver oil , by contrast, is extracted solely from the livers of cod. Fish oils contain higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids than cod liver oil, but lower amounts of vitamins A and D.

USES OF FISH OIL