Can plant and fish (oils) get along?

A recent publication in Nutrition Reviews (Stark, et al, 2008) has sparked conversations that look like ‘Fatty Acid Wars’. The benefits of omega-3 fatty acids from plants, primarily ALA (as found in flax seed) and omega-3 fatty acids from fish (EPA and DHA) are being discussed. Because of all the press on health benefits of EPA and DHA from fish oil, one person stated that plant source omega-3s (ALA) has been maligned. Goodness! Can these fat families get along?

While it is true that ALA is the essential omega-3 fat in textbook biochemistry, it’s equally true that EPA and DHA are the fats with which targeted and therapeutic benefits, including life-saving intervention, have been well documented in humans.

For years it was thought that ALA readily converted to the longer chain EPA and DHA fats (they are all omega-3 fats) but research has shown this is not the case. EPA and DHA reside in cell membranes and perform a variety of unique functions. Research shows that plant omega-3 fats are not a substitute for fish omega-3s for several health conditions. But just because ALA is not a substitute for EPA and DHA, doesn’t mean ALA doesn’t have benefit. Both types of fats have a place in the diet. It depends on a person’s health goals, lifestyle, family history and more.

Essential fats have been being undergoing scientific scrutiny for decades. The cost of human clinical trial work is great, and if investigators were seeing the benefit from plant forms that they were seeing in fish forms, research would have followed that direction. It’s primarily gone the way of fish (oil).

Round 1. Plant (ALA) vs. Fish (EPA & DHA).
Flax seeds are a highly nutritious food, providing valuable fibers, lignans, and plant source fats, including ALA. As a nutritionist I recommend fresh flax seed as part of a balanced diet, supporting good health and preventing disease. It is also a sustainable crop.
Purified fish oil, an excellent source of EPA and DHA, has had an enormous amount of research showing that dose and form matter, particularly when targeting certain health condition (e.g. arthritis, depression, attention deficits) or looking to reduce risk of disease (e.g. heart disease, macular degeneration). I can’t speak for all fish oil, but PharmaOmega fish oil is derived from sardines and anchovies; these fish are plentiful in supply, not endangered, and fishing them does not disturb the aquaculture. I also recommend eating fish, with caution toward which fish you eat.

Both plant foods and fish have always been major contributors to our diet. Our dietary needs have changed largely because of our current food manufacturing practices. We have changed the balance of fats we eat, such that we have an enormous amount of omega-6 fats (also essential to diet), and far too little omega-3s. This imbalance has impacted our health and disease risk in modern countries.

The bottom line: Eat more omega-3s. Eat some flax for all the benefit it offers, and eat purified fish oil for all the benefits it offers. Beware of food companies sprinkling ground flax into their foods and making big omega-3 claims. Remember, in the human body, plant source omega-3s are not a substitute for fish source omega-3s. Nonetheless, there is room for both plant and fish (oils) and they can co-exist nicely. Both are winners.

Email me directly if you have questions at Gretchen@nlppp.com

Stark AH, et al. Update on alpha-linolenic acid. Nutr Rev, 2008; 66(6): 326-332