In the health and wellness craze, fish oil, as a highly anticipated nutritional supplement, frequently appears in the public eye. It is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially Omega-3 fatty acids, which are extremely important for human health, including DHA and EPA. However, fish oil is not a single type, and fish oil products with different sources, extraction processes and concentrations are emerging in the market. The following are the common types of fish oil in the market.
TG fish oil.
That is, triglyceride fish oil, which is the natural form of fish oil. Most fish oils directly extracted from deep-sea fish are initially in the form of triglycerides. Its characteristics are that it tastes relatively good and is easily absorbed by the human body. At present, most ordinary fish oils belong to the TG type.
EE fish oil.
That is, ethyl ester fish oil, which is obtained by further processing of natural fish oil. In terms of chemical structure, the glycerol molecules in fish oil are replaced by ethanol to form an ethyl ester structure. This type of fish oil has advantages in increasing the concentration of Omega-3 fatty acids and can produce products with higher content of DHA and EPA. Some products on the market that focus on high-purity Omega-3 often use ethyl ester fish oil as raw material.
rTG fish oil.
That is, re-esterified fish oil, which is EE fish oil that has been reprocessed and re-esterified to return to triglyceride form.
The three types of fish oil have their own unique features, and there are obvious differences from process to application.
1. Differentiation from the extraction process
EE fish oil: The primary extracted fish oil is further refined and purified by molecular distillation and esterification.
TG fish oil: The subcutaneous fat of the fish is extracted by physical extraction, and then basic refining, deodorization, solvent separation, etc.
rTG fish oil: Based on EE fish oil, it is reprocessed using more advanced technologies such as supercritical extraction.
2. Differentiation from purity
EE fish oil: The omega-3 content can usually reach 50%-99.8%, of which the ratio of DHA and EPA can be adjusted.
TG fish oil: low omega-3 content, EPA+DHA concentration is about 30%.
rTG fish oil: generally can increase the omega-3 fish oil content to more than 80%.
3. Differentiate from product form and price
EE fish oil: mostly in soft capsule form, moderate price.
TG fish oil: usually ordinary fish oil capsule, relatively low price.
rTG fish oil: diverse product forms, high price due to complex process.
Which fish oil is the best? Which fish oil should be chosen? This question cannot be generalized, we can analyze from multiple dimensions:
Focus on absorption rate:
If you pursue a higher absorption rate, rTG and TG fish oils have advantages. Studies have shown that within 72 hours of a single dose, the absorption rate of TG (including rTG) is higher than that of EE. However, in the experiment of taking it for three consecutive months, there was no obvious difference between EE and TG.
Focus on purity:
rTG fish oil and EE fish oil perform better in purity. rTG type can generally reach more than 80% omega-3 content, and EE type can usually have more than 50%. If you want to supplement more omega-3 with a smaller dose, you can give priority to rTG type and EE type.
Focus on cost-effectiveness:
EE type fish oil has a higher cost-effectiveness. While ensuring a higher purity, the price is more affordable than rTG type. Although TG type fish oil is cheap, it needs to be taken in larger quantities to meet the needs.
Focus on naturalness:
rTG type fish oil is the closest to natural fish oil form, with the least processing procedures.
In summary, different types of fish oil have their own characteristics and advantages, and there is no absolute better one. When choosing fish oil products, you should consider a variety of factors such as your own health status, needs, economic strength, and focus on absorption and efficacy, so as to select the most suitable type of fish oil for yourself, so as to achieve the best nutritional supplement effect and maximize the value of fish oil in health maintenance.
