How to Assess Fish Oils

Fish oils contain Omega-3 fatty acids which help to maintain overall cardiovascular health, normal cholesterol and triglyceride levels, improve mood, manage stress and supply other health benefits, according to The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. When it comes to nutritional supplements, it is important to take the best quality products for maximum benefits. Not all supplements contain adequate ingredients for maximum potency. Apart from checking the label of the fish oil bottle for the potent ingredients, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosanexaenoic acid (DHA), both known for maintaining normal plasma triglycerides, you can conduct a fish oil assessment. The short test will instantly show you the potency of your fish oil.

Things You'll Need

• Fish oil soft gel
• Foam cup
• Plastic container
• Hot water

Show More

Instructions

Instructions

• 1

  Visually check the soft gel to see if it is cloudy or clear. If it is cloudy, it is an indication that the quality is not very high or it contains fillers like soy and a smaller percentage of other potent ingredients like DHA and EPA.

• 2

  Put one fish oil soft gel into a clean, dry foam cup.

• 3

  Place the foam cup into a container that is wider and deeper than the foam cup.

• 4

  Pour the boiling water into the cup and wait a few minutes.

• 5

  Observe the cup. The cup should be deteriorating at this point. The foam cup is made of a substance similar to cholesterol which the fish oil breaks down in the arteries. If the cup is breaking down at a rapid rate, this indicates that you have a high quality fish oil. If it is not, the fish oil is of a low quality and is not very effective.