Fish oil

Fish oil is the fat or oil extracted from fish tissue. It generally comes from oily fish such as herring, tuna, anchovies, and mackerel. However, it is sometimes produced from the livers of other fish, as is the case with cod liver oil.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends consuming 1–2 servings of fish per week. This is because the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish offer numerous health benefits, including protection against many diseases.

However, if you do not eat 1–2 servings of fish per week, fish oil supplements can help you get enough omega-3 fatty acids.

Fish oil is approximately 30% omega-3 fatty acids, while the remaining 70% consists of other fats. Furthermore, fish oil generally also contains some vitamin A and vitamin D.
It is important to note that the types of omega-3s found in fish oil have greater health benefits than the omega-3s found in some plant sources.

The main types of omega-3s in fish oil are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), while the type found in plant sources is primarily alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Although ALA is an essential fatty acid, EPA and DHA offer many more health benefits.

It is also important to get enough omega-3 fatty acids because, in the Western diet, most omega-3 fatty acids have been replaced by other fats, such as omega-6 fatty acids. This distorted ratio of fatty acids can contribute to many diseases.