Flaxseed oil and fatty fish oil are both very high in omega-3 fats. However, they do not contain the same Omega 3.

First thing to know: the omega-3s that help the heart and brain function well are EPA and DHA (also called very long-chain omega-3s). Only foods of marine origin provide a direct source of these substances, particularly oily fish.

Flax seeds, on the other hand, contain ALA, a substance that the body converts into EPA and DHA, but in a very limited way. According to studies carried out with radioactive markers, the conversion rate of ALA to AEP and DHA is less than 1% in humans.

Second thing to know: the vast majority of studies that have shown the beneficial effects of omega-3s have focused on the consumption of fish and fish oils. For example, very convincing epidemiological data links low consumption of fish to a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease. The same goes for depression. In addition, several large clinical trials have demonstrated the effect of fish oils on preventing heart and cardiovascular disorders and on reducing the risk of recurrence (see our Fish Oils fact sheet for more information).

On the side of linseed oil, studies are much less numerous. Its effectiveness in slightly lowering cholesterol levels is uncertain to date. (See our Lin file for more information.)

Third thing to know: as the addition of fish oil to foods has only been allowed since 2004, and only in certain foods in Canada, several companies have opted for flaxseed oil to enrich their products: fruit juice, milk and bread in particular .

Result: Eating bread or drinking omega-3 juice enriched with flaxseed oil does not harm, but does not significantly increase the intake of EPA and DHA in humans.

The same is not true of hens, whose bodies convert ALA much better into EPA and DHA. Result: when flax seeds are added to their feed, they lay eggs that contain DHA, either around 75 mg per egg. It’s not huge, but it gives a boost when you’re not eating fish at all. (Oily fish are up to 20 times richer in EPA and DHA than these eggs.) You should know that minimum intakes to prevent cardiovascular disease are 500 mg per day (AEP and ADH combined) for an adult.

There is also a liquid egg mixture on the market (Omega-3 Pro®, from Natureoeuf) which provides 300 mg of EPA and DHA per 50 g serving.¹.

In 2004, the Ontario dairy Neilson launched a milk enriched in DHA (Dairy Oh! ®). It is also thanks to the way cows are fed that their milk contains DHA². Do we give them flax seeds too? No, ADH is added to their feed, because cows convert ALA to EPA and DHA less well than hens. This patented breeding method was developed by researchers at the University of Guelph, Ontario.

The Neilson dairy had to have its product approved by Health Canada before it could be marketed because milk is very strictly regulated. “We applied for a novel food, a process that spanned a little over two years,” explains Philippe Meyersohn, vice-president of marketing at Neilson. It was first necessary to convince Health Canada of the usefulness of ADH, then to prove its harmlessness. And all of this required very extensive research files. “

Result: 2% milk that contains 10 mg of DHA per 250 ml serving and 20 mg in the case of 3,25% milk. “We are a long way from what a serving of oily fish contains, but Canadians eat very little fish, especially children. One serving of this milk doubles their daily intake of DHA, which is estimated to be around 18 mg per day. It’s a good thing, at a time when their brains are developing, ”says Bruce Holub³, professor emeritus of human biology and nutrition, at the University of Guelph in Ontario.

At the time of writing, in January 2006, this milk was only available in Ontario and the Western provinces. It could be marketed in Quebec during 2006, according to Philippe Meyersohn of the Neilson dairy. It will then be offered under the name of Oh! Milk® and will cost around 15% more than regular milk.

Parmalat, a multinational food company, markets cheddar cheese enriched with DHA in Canada. It contains 100 mg of omega-3, including 20 mg of DHA per 30 g serving, as well as around 30 mg of EPA and 40 mg of ALA⁴. On average, it costs 35% more than regular cheddar cheese.

Danone for its part launched Cardivia®, a flavored fermented milk that contains 62 mg of EPA and DHA per serving.⁵. It began to be distributed in Quebec in January 2006. This product also contains linseed oil. Pound for weight, it costs about 10% more than a similar yogurt (flavored, 0% fat, sweetened with sucralose)