Every new day brings more compelling proof that omega 3 fish oil is good for our mental health, heart and immune system because it helps fight diabetes, arthritis and coronary disease. But what is the best fish oil supplement and what difference does it make to your health?

According to the world’s leading omega 3 researchers, millions of people are actually wasting their money buying fish oil supplements because they give them little or no health benefits at all. And the reason is quite simple. Most fish oil supplements on the market today are very poor quality. That is because there are many kinds of omega supplements available and not all of them have the same health advantages. One of the biggest problems is that poor quality fish oil supplements contain very little, or no, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) – the most important forms of omega 3.

There are other problems too. At the moment there is no official recommended daily allowance of omega 3. Daily doses vary greater between manufacturers so just taking a pill and hoping to protect your brain and overall health is not as simple as it seems. Yet taking more essential omega fats is one of the most important dietary changes that you can make to improve your health – particularly as your get older. Our bodies cannot manufacture the nutrient themselves so we have to get it from the food we eat – primarily from fish and seafood. It is well documented that omega 3s are important for fighting heart attacks, strokes and diabetes. And are also good for eyesight and inflammatory conditions like arthritis.

But what is less well known is that EPA and DHA are critical for the way our brains function and for mental well-bring. Nine out of 10 Americans fail to get the minimum amount of omega 3 that they need to keep their heart healthy (around 500mg/day) or to keep their brain and immune system in the best condition (1000mg/day). One of the best ways to get this is to eat around four good-sized portions of fish a week, preferably oily fish. Unfortunately, this often is practical for most people. And many fish today are also contaminated with PCBs and mercury so you can actually be poisoning your own body by eating too much fish.

Taking fish oil supplements is the next best thing. But you need to be sure that you are only taking supplements that can make a real difference to your health. And they must contain EPA and DHA. This means taking fish oil supplements, as vegetable omega 3 supplements contain none at all. Or, in the case of flaxseed oil, a different type of nutrient that your body synthesizes differently. Try and eat at least 1000mg of pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements every day. These are made from oily fish like Hoki that swim in the crystal clear waters around New Zealand and is the best omega 3 fish oil supplement that I have found after years of research.