DHA is a long chain omega-3 fatty acid that your body can convert from ALA, which is a plant based source. When you get it from fish, it is really coming from the algae that the fish eat. Most omnivores do not eat fish everyday and miss out on that front. Instead of reprocessing something, you can get your nutrient directly from the source. [International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research, Nutrition Facts]
Your body can convert a limited amount of ALA to DHA. On average, your body can extract about 3.8%. As long as you eat enough ALA, you should be fine. For ex. 1.5 serving of chia seeds has all the daily ALA for your body to convert to DHA. Flax seeds, walnuts are other good sources. Many plant based milks also come fortified with DHA. [The Vegan RD]
If you’re considering to get this from seafood, please know fishes contain the most amount of toxic industrial pollutants than any other food chain [Dr. Michael Greger]
Topic: FAQ – Health
