Sunday, December 21, 2008

Omega-3 Supplements

Unless you live your life completely disconnected from the outside world, you've probably heard on the news or read an article pertaining to the importance of Omega-3 in the diet. Whether it's a supplement being pushed or simply foods high in Omega-3, there's no denying this is one hot topic. Now being a health nut myself I couldn't agree more, but being someone who is allergic to soy I have to constantly travel a different path in order to reach my destination.

As I've mentioned before many supplements contain soy due to the added Vitamin E (d-alpha tocopheral) which is usually derived from soy beans, and omega-3 supplements are no exception...especially in the liquid form. Manufactures use it to "help preserve the fish oil freshness", but for someone who has a soy allergy this can be a problem. I've been told by certain manufactures that do to the process used there should be no soy remaining in the end product, but for myself I have found that if Vitamin E is on the label it means soy. This causes us to look for food sources high in omega-3 instead of getting our daily intake through supplements, and there are many out there.

One of the biggest things I've learned since finding out about my allergies, is that there is no substitute to a healthy diet when it comes to getting all of the nutrients our body needs. I'm not saying people should not take supplements, I take some myself, but it is my belief that supplements should not be a substitute for a healthy diet.

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