Fish oil supplements are taken regularly by many people due to their healthful properties. Many people give them to their children, because taking fish oil regularly is not only good for you, but it is supposed to help with brain function and attention span, particularly in children with learning disabilities.
Two popular brands are Nordic Naturals Children's DHA and Carlson Fish Oil. Both are high quality fish oil supplements. Is one better then the other? It's important to look at both to determine which brand will meet the needs of your family.
Why Fish Oil?
Taken from the tissue of oily fish such as tuna, salmon and cod, fish oil has a variety of health benefits. It contains two omega-3 fatty acids: DHA and EPA. Consumption of fish oil reduces fat deposits in your arteries, helps prevent eyesight problems, increases attention span in children, and helps in the treatment of arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.
The Mayo Clinic says multiple studies show the many proven benefits of fish oil on a person's overall health.
High Quality Fish Oil
As noted by the Mayo Clinic, it is important to be careful that the fish oil you choose does not contain high amounts of mercury. In order to be certain your fish oil is safe, it is better to choose a higher quality brand--although more expensive, they take mercury out of the fish/fish oil for your safety. Two of these brands are Nordic Naturals and Carlson.
Nordic Naturals Children's DHA
Nordic Naturals Children's DHA meets European quality standards for freshness and low heavy-metal/mercury toxicity. The company is also careful to preserve the environment and avoid overfishing.
Nordic Naturals Children's DHA pills are small capsules that are strawberry flavored. On the Nordic Naturals website, they can be ordered for $14.95 plus shipping for 90 capsules. A child must take four capsules per day. Each four capsules contain 82 mg of EPA and 125 mg of DHA.
Carlson Fish Oil
Carlson Fish Oil is from Norway and also purified to remove mercury. It comes in a children's variety called Carlson For Kids Very Finest Fish Oil, a lemon-flavored fish oil certified to be free of contaminants by an independent laboratory.
Carlson Fish Oil is taken in -teaspoon quantities. It is sold on the Carlson website for $24.95 plus shipping, and each bottle contains 200 ml of the fish oil. Each half teaspoon contains 400 mg of EPA and 250 mg of DHA.
Comparisons
As far as fatty acid content, if you or your child is willing to take the liquid fish oil, you will receive significantly more EPA and DHA from Carlson than the daily dosage of Nordic Naturals fish oil. The prices are comparable when shipping is included. Both products are free of contaminants.
Either product would be a good choice, depending on how much fatty acid content you are looking for. Also, if your child is not willing to take the liquid fish oil, Nordic Naturals capsules may be a wiser choice.
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