
Talking about a comparison between krill oil and fish oil, one simply cannot forget to mention the higher antioxidant capacity of krill oil. However, compared to fish oil, krill oil has lesser omega-3s content. Read this NutriNeat article to further understand the difference between these oils and determine which one is healthy.
Did You Know?
Those who are allergic to seafood are advised to stay away from krill oil and fish oil.
When it comes to omega-3 supplements, fish oil has long been the first choice among health conscious people. Numerous studies show that fish oil can be helpful to treat a wide range of medical conditions. However, the new entrant krill oil is now challenging the continuing dominance of fish oil use.
Krill oil is being heavily marketed as an alternative to fish oil, as it too contains noticeable amounts of omega-3s. So, in case you are confused about choosing between the two, the following NutriNeat article hopefully may clear all your doubts.
Krill Oil Vs. Fish Oil | |
Source | |
♦ Krill that are shrimp-like crustaceans and belong to the family of arthropods, are used for extracting krill oil. They belong to the family of arthropods and reside in deep waters. | ♦ Fish oil, sold in supplemental form, comes from cold water oily fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, and anchovies. |
Antioxidants | |
♦ Krill oil is an excellent source of astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant. The bright red color of krill oil is due to the presence of astaxanthin. Moreover, it also contains vitamins A, E, and D in significant amounts. | ♦ Although fish oil has antioxidants like iodide, selenium, and astaxanthin. However, their concentration is very low compared to krill oil. In fact, antioxidant capacity in krill oil is 50 times stronger than in fish oil. |
Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids | |
♦ As far as concentration of omega-3s is concerned, fish oil wins hands down. EPA and DHA are the two main types of omega-3s. A standard strength capsule of krill oil provides 14% of total EPA and DHA. | ♦ A standard strength capsule accounts for 30% of total EPA and DHA. For instance, a 1,000 mg fish oil supplement delivers around 180 mg of EPA, and 120 mg of DHA, 300 mg of combined EPA/DHA. |
Absorbability | |
♦ The omega-3s in krill oil consists of specialized fat molecules referred to as phospholipids. Increased absorption of omega-3s from krill oil is observed due to their phospholipid structure. | ♦ Omega-3s are less absorbed from fish oil as they do not comprise tiny packets of phospholipids. |
Oxidative Damage | |
♦ Krill oil has higher capacity to withstand oxidative damage than fish oil. In laboratory studies, continuous exposure of krill oil to a consistent flow of oxygen for a duration of 190 hours, could not turn the oil rancid. | ♦ However in case of fish oil, it got damaged in just an hour’s time after continuous exposure to oxygen. This indicates that krill oil has 200 times better capacity to withstand oxidative stress than fish oil. Moreover, it also points out that fish oil is vulnerable to oxidative damage. |
Odor | |
♦ Krill oil is free from bad odor or aftertaste. | ♦ Taking fish oil supplements can leave you with bad breath. This is because the supplement can make the breath and even the burps smell fishy. |
Research | |
♦ Limited research has been done to evaluate the efficacy of krill oil for medical purposes. However, preliminary studies do suggest that supplemental form of krill oil helps in boosting good cholesterol levels, alleviates symptoms of arthritis as well as displays anti-inflammatory activity by reducing inflammation in heart patients. | ♦ Unlike krill oil, fish oil has been studied extensively and proven to support overall health. |
Price | |
♦ Contents of krill decompose and degrade rapidly; in just 2 to 3 hours after exposure to air. Hence, there is very little time for extraction and processing. Various techniques such as freezing may be employed to prevent it from degrading. No wonder, manufacturing krill oil supplements is expensive. | ♦ Fish oil exhibit a much slower degradation rate; 2-3 days after exposure to air. With fish oil having longer life, manufacturers get adequate time for extraction and processing. That is why fish oil supplements are available at a lower price. |
Is Krill Oil Better Than Fish Oil?
Nutritionally, krill oil is found to be superior due to its high antioxidant value; moreover, omega-3s from krill oil are better absorbed thanks to their unique phospholipid structure. Also, as omega-3s from krill oil have superior absorption rate, the number of supplements required to reap the same health benefits will be certainly less than fish oil supplements. However, as krill oil has not been studied thoroughly, it would be to early to draw any conclusion about which is a better source of omega-3s. Nevertheless, consuming krill oil is found to be safe and can be a healthy addition to your diet.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.