When developing the AquaOmega brand, we spent over two years in the research and development phase. Through this process, we visited and examined countless suppliers, crude oil facilities, and distillation plants. Through this experience, I can tell you without a shred of doubt that a single source omega-3 will always be best, and you should also be targeting small fish, continue reading below, to learn why.

Have you ever noticed how the top-selling omega-3s often have 3 to 5 different species of fish on the label? Some companies will even allow for substitutions in their species of fish, you can recognize this by seeing an "and or" to the ingredient list. How are consumers supposed to know what they are buying if the company doesn’t even know what to put on the label?

The fact is that most omega-3 brands have no clue where their omega-3s are coming from, nor do they know what is actually in the oil. Most are sourcing from distributors or contract manufacturers who, in turn, sourced from several different producers. What they are selling is a specific ratio of EPA to DHA, with various levels of concentration. What is going into the product is secondary to this, and in most cases, there is no real ID testing done to identify the source species.

What’s the issue with multi-species omega-3s?

The fact is that most of the oils are being sourced from fisheries, that have a primary objective of supplying fish markets. The fish being used are either; leftovers of fish and/or spoiled fish that can no longer be sold into these markets. The unsellable fish and fish parts are then granulated and converted into crude oil. Hot molecular distillation is then used to try and remove the toxins and metals.

The most important thing to these companies is not what's going into the product but rather that the ratios for the intended blend are achieved. This is why most companies play very loosely with their labels, using open-ended statements like "and/or" when referring to the ingredients in their product.

Companies need to have a consumer-first approach

When developing AquaOmega, we refused to be content with the status quo. After seeing first hand how most products were being sourced and produced, we felt compelled to do and be better. This is why all of our fish oils are sustainably sourced and made exclusively from anchovy oil. All of the anchovies are sourced, converted, and distilled directly in the fishing grounds to ensure the best quality product with the lowest levels of oxidation possible. Our anchovies are never frozen and spend zero time on a truck.

We asked ourselves, what do consumers want? The answer was simple, fresh, wild-caught fish that was clearly and accurately labeled and 3rd-party tested.

What to look out for when selecting an omega-3 supplement

When selecting your next omega-3 supplement, we strongly suggest you consider a single-sourced product in a triglyceride form. When spending your hard-earned money to improve your health, you have a right to know what's in the product.