June 26, 2019

Krill, Superior to Fish

If omega 3 and 6 is needed for every single one of our body cells. And if we’re having trouble getting enough of it from our food sources, it only makes sense for us to choose a supplement that can meet these demands.

Krill oil and fish oil supplements are two sources of omega-3 fatty acids that are a good source of DHA and EPA. Generally, the toss up is between these two oils since plant based oils like flax seeds requires a conversion to EPA and DHA.

Krill oil is derived from small crustaceans found in Antarctica and fish oil is derived from fatty fish, often sardines, anchovies, mackerel, and salmon.”

There are a few reasons why krill is superior to fish and issues to be aware of when choosing your omega supplement.

Sustainability

Around 85% of global fish stocks are over-exploited or depleted

On average, fishing fleet quotas are 15-30% higher than scientists recommended safe limits.

Fish farms are also highly polluting. They produce a toxic run-off – manure – which reduces the oxygen available to other species and creates dead zones.

Scotland's salmon-farming industry, for example, produces the same amount of nitrogen waste as the untreated sewage of 3.2 million people

Contaminants

The National Resources Defense Council reports that large fish like tuna, swordfish, shark, and mackerel, can have dangerous mercury concentrations in their bodies that are 10,000 times higher than other types of fish.

It is important to note that fish oil is often extracted from large, oily fish – the same species that have high levels of mercury. So even if you choose fish oil over fish as your source of EPA and DHA, you can still be at risk of mercury contamination.

Other contaminants found in fish include, PCB’s, radioactive susbstances, other heavy metals like cadmium, lead and arsenic. Toxic restudies in farm-raised fish can be 9 million times higher than the amount found in the wild.

Stability

The omega 3 and 6 fatty acid is highly unstable and can easily become rancid. The instability of these oils makes it very sensitive to external factors that can alter their structure such as heat, light and oxygen.

The extraction of fish oil is complicated and even if the oils extracted are from clean, mercury free wilf fish, it is often difficult to determine whether the manufacturing methods protect the oil. Rancid oil can become toxic to the body and can even cause an increase of LDL (bad cholesterol) among other health issues.

The Journal of Nutritional Science found that 50% of the fish oils tested in Canada were oxidized, while 80% of New Zealand fish oils tested exceeded oxidation levels.

Since it is difficult to be sure of the safety of the fish oil by reading the product labels, krill oil provides a safer alternative. Astaxanthin, the antioxidant naturally found in krill is what gives krill oil it’s bright red colour and can protect the oil from oxidation. Krill oil also has Vitamins A, E and D that can provide some protective antioxidant measures, making it 48 times more potent than fish oil.

In summary, krill oil may be more expensive than fish oil, but if we measure the positive and negative impact on the environment and the body, and the extra benefits that krill oil can offer, krill comes out as a clear winner.