Fish and seafood is one of the best dietary sources of protein around. It is also chock-full of nutrients like iodine, selenium, and vitamins D and B12. But the biggest health benefit of fish comes from omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s lower our risk of cancer, type-2 diabetes, autoimmune disease, depression, and inflammation. They are essential for the functioning of every cell in our bodies. But many of us do not consume enough of them. And there is so much confusion about supplementing with fish oil as well as what the best types of fish to eat are.
Dr. Hyman recently sat down with Paul Greenberg to discuss these topics and how to know if fish oil supplementation is right for you.
Paul is the bestselling author of Four Fish, American Catch, and The Omega Principle. A regular contributor to the New York Times and many other publications, Mr. Greenberg is the writer-in-residence at the Safina Center, a Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation and the recipient of a James Beard Award for Writing and Literature. He appears frequently on American and international radio and television programs and is the featured correspondent and co-writer of the 2017 PBS Frontline documentary The Fish On My Plate which, along with his TED talk, has reached millions of viewers.
Find Dr. Hyman’s full-length conversation with Paul Greenberg, “A Fish Story: How To Improve Your Health While Protecting The Oceans,” here:
This episode is brought to you by Paleovalley. Paleovalley is offering Doctor’s Farmacy listener's 15% off your entire first order. Just go to paleovalley.com/hyman to check out all their clean Paleo products and take advantage of this deal.
I take Nordic Naturals DHA omega 3s every night and have since February.
I have recently started taking this on the recommendation of my Functional Medicine doc but find it repeats on me. How do you take it?
C Jones no one on a healthy diet needs to eat fish, take fish oil or algae.
C Jones fish oil is oxidized as soon as it is exposed to room temperature and when you swallow it and it gets exposed to 98 degrees good luck
Enjoyed your advice, I am so going to try the sauce!
I’ll second that.
As a vegan, I don’t want to take fish oil supplements. I have found Algae Oil is the best source of omega 3 and makes a huge difference to me.
I came on here to ask about algae oil. I know I don’t get enough fish in my diet, and I cannot stand fish oil supplements. Would love more information about the benefits of algae oil and how they compare to fish oil and fresh/canned fish.
Just understand the fundamental truth about being Vegan. You are sacrificing your health so that some animals may live. You are killing a greater number of animals through monocrop farms than you would be if you consumed animals from a regenerative farm. I wish you luck with however you would like to live. Document your health, share with others and listen to your body.
Michelle Rose Hi Michelle, I am lucky enough to live in the UK and get all my food from a regenerative farm not too far from where I live. This is the example I use when I speak of farming. I agree that factory farmed animals and mono crops are bad for the planet and everyone eating them. This is an important point that every vegan or vegetarian I have ever spoke with always misses. If you really cared about animals and the environment, you would eat from a regenerative farm that grazes cattle. I grew up in the US so I know what it is like there. Here you are encouraged to visit the farm, for “farm walks” and take pictures to share with your friends. When you visit a farm like this the first thing you notice after the beauty is the amount of wildlife. From small creatures up to large, the farmland is a beautiful ecosystem. When you look at a corn or soy mono crop in the US you see that they are void of life. Before the crop is planted everything is killed with chemicals. Thousands of animals are poisoned in the process. There are no birds or woodland creatures because there are no small animals or insects left. Someone eating from this farm is playing a part in killing thousands of animals. I can look for the numbers when I get home but there have been a few studies done. When I eat meat from my farm only one animal is slaughtered. That cow lived its best life out at pasture for its entire life and I respectfully consume it from nose to tail. The difference is astounding. A proper farm with grazing cattle is actually carbon negative as well. I have yet to have a Vegan explain to me how shipping avocados and bananas all over the world is better for the environment.
Help! Can’t stand the strong fish taste but I bought sardines in hot sauce, herring in can, will try canned salmon but how do I disguise the fishy taste to get it down?
I want to know the answer as well!
Please discuss IFKrill oil is better (different) than fish oil. I’ve been told that fish oil can easily be “toxis.”
Ratio of omega3 to omega6 makes a difference. Cutting out omega6 from seed oils immediately improves the ratio. Makes a huge difference to choose organic pasture raised eggs compared to standard eggs with high omega6.
Thank you for the info.I’ll start buying those instead.
They cook wild salmon in the can? Why would you take a beautiful wild healthy salmon and then cook it in aluminium? ☹️
Fish oil gives me nose bleeds…any substitute?
Fish oil gel pulls spoil > 32° F.
Fish burps is signs of spoilage.
I grill canned salmon and mackerel on a panini girl with Italian dressing and then use it in homemade veggie burgers and if I don’t tell people there is fish in it they do not know.
Is it true that 90% of fish oil supplements are rancid when you buy them?
True & encouraging!
Guys here is a nice recipe:
1 tablespoon of raw honey
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
1/2 tablespoon of sesame seed oil
Finely chopped ginger, add a good amount as the other ingredients help mediate the punch
Finely chopped garlic.
1/2 to 3/4 tablespoon of soy sauce.
Mix all this nicely in a small container.
Now marinate the salmon on both sides and let marinate for 1 hour in the fridge. Keep the leftover marinade.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Grab olive oil or butter and heat to high temps and let salmon sear on both sides for about 1 minute to a minute and 15 seconds on both sides.
Boil some carrots and steam some broccoli.
Take salmon off saucepan and let it bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes.
Take salmon out of oven and put on plate and pour the remaining marinade over it.
Serve with a dish of brown rice and black beans. Cut raw tomatoes and pineapples into the rice.
Serve the rice beans tomatoes and pineapple on plate, add salmon and add carrots and broccoli on the side.
Enjoy your restaurant quality meal
Sounds delicious. I will give it a try. Thanks!
Will omega 3 supplements interfere with the efficacy of metformin??????
Glad I had my sardines today!! However, I primarily eat vegan. How do I test my Omega 3-6 ratios?
Loved the mini episode. What about cod? Would you recommend any white fish?
Thanks for fish update. I take nordic naturals omega3 cod liver oil. Plus eat sockeye salmon as well as canned sardines in water. Prefer to use my EVOO ORGANIC DRIZZLED IN SALAS W/ MUSTARD. WITH ASSORTED GREENS IT IS THE PERFECT LUNCH FOR ME.