Taking fish oil is highly recommended by doctors and the World Health Organization (WHO). If you have not been taking fish or consuming any kind of fish oil you should make a point to start doing so.
What is fish oil?
Fish oil is oil derived from fish. The oil is contained within fish tissue such as flesh, liver, skin, and other parts. You can ingest fish oil by simply consuming fish. Fish oil contains mostly fat. However, a lot of this fat (30%) is omega 3 fatty acids which are very important for the human body. In particular, fish oil is rich in 2 of the 3 omega fatty acids and those are EPA and DHA. It is important to note that omega 3 in fish oil (EPA and DHA) is superior to the third omega fatty acid (ALA) which is found in plants such as walnuts, kidney beans and soy beans
Fish oil is also rich in Vitamin A and D.
Health Benefits of fish oil
Fish oil has a lot of superb health benefits that everyone should know about. They include:
- Good brain development – Much of the brain membrane is fat, including omega 3s. Consequently, fish oil helps to boost brain performance and is rumored to boost IQ levels as well. More specifically, fish oil can help reduce mental disorders such as depression, prevent neural degeneration and diseases such as Alzheimer’s, reduce symptoms of schizophrenia, as well as improve eye health, memory, attention, and focus.
- Improves heart health and reduces blood pressure – Fish oil increases levels of good cholesterol within the body and also reduces abnormal heart rhythms and this can help prevent heart attacks. It also prevents hardening of arteries.
- Good for pregnancy and early childhood development – Fish oil is recommended for pregnant women and small children because it helps with early childhood development by improving bone strength, hand-eye coordination, eye health, skin health, and more.
- Has anti-inflammatory properties and can help with symptoms such as joint pain. It is especially used to help treat inflammation in people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
- Helps with weight loss.
- Improves skin health especially in old age and after prolonged sun exposure.
- Improves bone development
Fish species with the best fish oil
Fishy oil is more nutritional. And the fish species with the highest levels of omega 3 fatty acids include salmon, halibut, swordfish, mackerel, tuna, anchovies, herring, catfish and cod. Two servings per week are recommended for best results.
Fish oil supplements
If you are not able to consume 2 servings of fish per week, it is highly recommended that you take fish oil supplements instead. A dose of 200-500mg per day is recommended.
Omega 3 and CBD
Omega 3 fatty acids and cannabidiol (CBD) which is derived from cannabis have an eerily close relationship. They are both thought to work by influencing certain neural receptors in the brain. And they both share a lot of similar health benefits such as neural anti-degeneration, pain relief, improving attention, reducing depression and other mental disorders, anti-inflammation, and blood pressure relief.
Studies in animal tissue revealed a cascade of chemical reactions that convert omega-3 fatty acids into cannabinoids that have anti-inflammatory benefits – but without the psychotropic high.