If I don't eat fish, do I need to take an omega-3 supplement?
No, you don’t. Some plant foods contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the precursor to all omega-3 fatty acids. The body can produce EPA and DHA from this, i.e. long-chain omega-3s, the most “famous” ones also found in fish. Check out the relevant section on omega-3 fatty acids to find out which these plant foods are rich in alpha-linolenic acid and what the daily required intake is.
You only need to take supplements if you don’t eat any of the omega-3 rich plant foods or, at certain stages of life, regardless of your diet, i.e. during pregnancy and when breastfeeding (200 mg of DHA per day) and in early childhood (100 mg of DHA per day from 6 months to 3 years of age).
You only need to take supplements if you don’t eat any of the omega-3 rich plant foods or, at certain stages of life, regardless of your diet, i.e. during pregnancy and when breastfeeding (200 mg of DHA per day) and in early childhood (100 mg of DHA per day from 6 months to 3 years of age).
Updated on: 25/03/2024