There is a marketing trend where POWDERED MCT and Flax oils are being touted as GREAT!
Simply put, get it from the source when you can!
Is there anything bad about the powdered source?
Well, it is processed..that means that it has gone through some procedure to take it from its natural form to a powder...and this results in some degradation in constituents.
Now, MCT oil is
better derived from fresh coconut...
Flax oil is
better derived from fresh organic flax...
Get Organic when possible because any pesticides and toxins tend to move to and reside in fats!
Omega-3 fats are perishable and oxidate quickly when exposed to the air..so use Fresh whole flax seed then grind it at the time you need to use it.
Additionally, there are Special fibers in whole flax seed that have many benefits.
There is a Caution with Flax seed use...
It is not the BEST source of EFAs..though it is a good food!
Our bodies generally do not use the ALA found in flax very well, it has to be converted to EPA then to DHA.
DHA is the major fat in the brain...but, this conversion is very inefficient (only 5%!!)
Certified contaminant free Fish or Krill oil are much better sources for your Omega-3!
Their DHA is ready to use!
Krill being the best source due to enhanced absorption and due to phospholipids and antioxidants that protect those easily perishable omega-3s from oxidation and rancidity.
You want a source certified free of impurities such as these:
Liquid Fish Oil
Or
Soft Gel Fish Oil
Or
Krill Oil
Now comparing Fish oil to Krill oil (best product and prices including shipging...)
Carlsons liquid = 320 x 500mg servings $29.00 (100 servings of 1 teaspoon that are 1600 mg) = 0.0906 per 500 mg
Carlson's soft gels = 156 x 500mg servings $24.00 (130 caps that have 600 mg per capsule) = 0.154 per 500 mg
Krill oil = 60 x 500 mg servings for $27.00 (60 caps that are 500 mg capsules) = 0.45 per 500 mg
...you can see that krill oil is about 5x as expensive as fish oil!
NOTE ABOUT KRILL OIL:
WARNING: If you are allergic to shellfish, have a blood coagulation disorder, or are taking anticoagulants such as Warfarin (Coumadin), do not use. Also, Antarctic Pure Krill Oil is very stable and will last up to 3 years. However, do not store it in the freezer or refrigerator; temperatures higher than 100 degrees or lower than 50 degrees diminish effectiveness of the phosopholipid ingredients.
More on Krill Oil:
Krill oil, logically enough, comes from krill, which are small, shrimp like crustaceans that inhabit the cold ocean areas of the world, primarily the Antarctic and North Pacific Oceans. Despite their tiny size (one to five centimeters in length) krill are said to make up the largest animal biomass on the planet.
According to Neptune Technologies, the Canadian company that holds the patent for krill oil extraction, there are approximately 500 million tons of krill roaming around in these northern seas, 110,000 tons of which are harvested annually.
Krill oil, like fish oil, contains both of the omega-3 fats eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA), but hooked together in a different form. In fish oil these omega-3 fatty acids are found in the triglyceride form whereas in krill oil they are hooked up in a double chain phospholipid structure. (The fats in our own cell walls are in the phospholipid form.) Attached to the EPA leg of the phospholipid is a molecule of astaxanthin, an extremely potent anti-oxidant. The phospholipid structure of the EPA and DHA in krill oil makes them much more absorbable and allows for a much easier entrance into the mitochondria and the cellular nucleus. In addition to EPA and DHA, krill oil contains a complex phospholipid profile including phosphatidylcholine, a potent source of reductive-stress-reducing choline, which also acts as a natural emulsifier.
Krill oil contains vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin D and canthaxanthin, which is, like astaxanthin, a potent anti-oxidant. The anti-oxidant potency of krill oil is such that when compared to fish oil in tems of ORAC (Oxygen radical absorptance capacity) values it was found to be 48 times more potent than fish oil.
A number of studies have shown that krill oil is tremendously effective in reducing LDL-cholesterol, raising HDL-cholesterol, and lowering blood sugar. It has been shown to be effective in treating the pain and inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis and aches and pains in general. One large study showed that krill oil has tremendous benefits in terms of symptom reduction in PMS and dysmenorrhea. And it has been shown to be effective in the treatment of adult ADHD. In all these studies krill oil was tested against fish oil and a placebo.
Cheers all!
<message edited by danmirage on Tuesday, April 03, 2007 1:56 PM>