I saw your recent tweet reminding vegetarians and vegans to supplement their diets with Omega-3 supplements that contain DHA and EPA Omega-3 fatty acids.

If I would rather not take a pill, but can eat ground flaxseeds – how much do you think I should consume each day?

Otherwise, do you recommend a particular vegan omega-3 pill?

– Christine Ho
Location Unknown

The problem with relying on flaxseeds (or walnuts, for that matter) to get your omega-3 needs is that they only offer Alpha-Linolenic omega-3 fatty acids (ALA).

The human body can convert ALA into docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).  However, this conversion does not happen very efficiently, and it takes very high amounts of ALA to get the necessary amounts of DHA and EPA (we’re talking ridiculously high amounts — think 1,000 calories just from flaxseeds).

This is not to say that the omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseeds and walnuts are useless.  They certainly offer their share of health benefits and are worth including.

However, I strongly encourage people with diets that are low in (or do not include) fish to supplement DHA and EPA, even more so if they do not consume seaweed — the only plant food that offers DHA and EPA — on a regular basis.

In your case, Christine, I recommend looking for supplements that contain DHA and EPA extracted from algae.  While there are many brands out there, the one I am most familiar with is VPure (please note, I am not claiming this is the only “good” brand; simply the one I have come across most often).

The term “vegetarian” on an Omega-3 capsule is by no means a guarantee; often times, that simply means it only contains ALA!

Please remember — as with every nutrient, more is not better when it comes to Omega-3 fatty acids.  One gram total (EPA and DHA combined) is a sufficient amount; ideally, you want at least 300 milligrams to come from EPA, though.