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I take a fish oil supplement every day, and as with everything in my diet I want it to be the best quality I can buy. How can a typical consumer determine if their fish oil supplement is the best quality? Here is a simple tip from Dr. Sears of the Zone Diet program to test your fish oil yourself:

“Take your fish oil and put it in the freezer. If it freezes, it’s probably not the good stuff because the fish oils will tend to freeze because they’re rich in saturated fats that can only be removed by the same refining process that removes the toxins. Here’s another simple test: Bite into it. If it’s very bland, then probably it’s a good material. If it’s kind of fishy, you can be guaranteed that it’s the sewer of the sea. That freezing test is probably your best indicator whether or not the material is highly purified and therefore possibly suitable for human consumption.”

If testing yourself doesn’t quite make you comfortable enough, don’t worry. There are some other factors to consider when determining fish oil quality.

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) is a Washington-based trade association that represents ingredient suppliers and manufacturers in the dietary supplement domain. CRN has established a five star system to rate the quality of fish oil supplements. Here are the factors that CRN considers when testing for quality:

• EPA and DHA Concentration – The fatty acids EPA and DHA are responsible for providing the health benefits of fish oil. At least 60 percent of the fatty acids must consist of EPA and DHA to be a considered a refined fish oil.
• PCB Levels – PCBs are carcinogens and once they enter your body they are difficult to remove. An ultra-refined fish oil concentrate should have a level of 45 parts per billion (ppb) or less.
• Dioxins – Dioxins are neurotoxins. An oil must have less than 1 part per trillion (ppt) of these contaminants.
• Mercury – Mercury is another toxin found in fish oil. Any fish oil that contains more than 10 ppb of mercury should be considered unfit for human consumption.
• Oxidation – Fish oils are extraordinarily prone to oxidation and the risk of oxidation is magnified during the manufacturing process. There are three measures of oxidation; peroxides, aldehydes, and ketones. CRN uses a hybrid of all three measures known as TOTOX or total oxidation. The TOTOX levels of a fish oil sample must be less than 19.5 meq/kg, to receive another star.

Supplements can be very expensive, but be careful not to opt for the cheapest fish oil you can find. Read the labels and know what you are purchasing to ensure the best quality.

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