Are the omega-3s from flax more easily digested by the oil or the ground up seeds?

Question

A friend of mine recommends the oil, but my sister swears the ground seed is best. Is there any evidence to prove one over the other?

Answer 1

If you want omega-3, the best source is from fish oil instead of flax oil or seed.

Here is the info on omega-3 from Harvard Medical School.


Q&A: Is flaxseed a good source of omega-3 fats?

Q: Are the omega-3 fats in flaxseed oil as good for the heart as those in fish or fish oil? Do they have the same side effects?

The American Heart Association warns about getting more than 3 grams of omega-3 fats a day without a doctor’s supervision, but one teaspoon of my concentrated flaxseed oil — the recommended dose — contains 6.2 grams.

Should I be worried?
A: There are three main types of omega-3 fats. Their names are a mouthful (eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid) so I’ll use their abbreviations: EPA, DHA, and ALA.

EPA and DHA are sometimes called the marine omega-3s, since we get them mostly from seafood. People who get plenty of EPA and DHA seem to have more protection against heart attack, stroke, and sudden death than people who get little of these essential fats.

ALA comes from plants. The best sources are ground flaxseeds and flaxseed oil (whole flaxseed passes through the digestive tract untouched, which means you miss out on the benefits of flaxseed oil). Other ways to get ALA include eating walnuts, tofu and other forms of soy, and omega-3 enriched eggs, as well as using vegetable oils such as canola, walnut, and soybean oils. Only a fraction of ALA, somewhere around 10%–15%, is converted to the more powerful omega-3s; the rest is burned for energy. A tablespoon of flaxseed oil delivers 120 calories — if you don’t cut back 120 calories somewhere else in your diet, or exercise more, that’s enough to add more than 10 pounds a year!

There is some controversy over whether ALA offers the same protection against heart attack, stroke, and sudden death as EPA and DHA. Some studies show a benefit, others don’t.

For people without heart disease, the American Heart Association recommends getting omega-3s from food — at least two servings a week of fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, and herring, as well as daily servings of vegetable oils and foods rich in alpha-linolenic acid. Those with heart disease should try to get one gram total of EPA plus DHA per day, preferably from fatty fish, though fish-oil supplements are fine, too. Higher doses (two to four grams a day) may help lower high triglycerides.
The AHA warns against taking more than three grams of EPA and DHA a day without talking with a doctor. These substances make it harder for blood to clot, and so could cause excessive bleeding. The risk of bleeding increases if you are also taking aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin), an antiplatelet drug such as clopidogrel (Plavix), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen, or herbal supplements such as garlic or ginseng.

If you don’t like fish, and fish oil capsules don’t agree with you, then ALA is a good backup. As an “adequate intake,” the Institute of Medicine recommends 1.6 grams/day for men and 1.1 grams for women. If ALA does, indeed, protect against heart disease, more is probably needed. The amount in your flaxseed oil supplement, 6.2 grams, gives you just over half a gram of the more potent omega-3s, EPA plus DHA, and so is within the heart association’s safety limits.

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Answer 2

Make sure the oil is refrigerated. If you are at risk for breast cancer, skip both the oil and the seeds.