Is EPA the same as omega 3 fish oil?!
Question:
Is EPA the same as omega 3 fish oil?
Answers:
The two omega 3 components in fish oil are EPA (eicosapentenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexenoic acid). The good one that provides all the health benefits is DHA. The proportions of DHA and EPA are roughly 3 parts of EPA to 2 parts of DHA.
One fact that is not well known and is rarely mentioned in health reports is that flax seeds, flax oil, soya beans, soy milk and walnuts which are all rich in omega 3 contain the wrong omega 3. This omega 3 is ALA (alpha linolenic acid) which does not give you the health benefits that DHA gives you. Only about 5 to 10% of ALA is metabolised to the good omega 3 DHA.
A Yahoo search for "omega 3" + EPA + DHA + ALA will tell you much more.