Microalgae: The Vegetarian Omega-3 Supplement
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids for humans because the body is not capable of manufacturing the fats. This means that we are required to supplement omega-3 fats through our diet. Omega-3 fatty acids consist of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Both eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid are typically found in fatty fish like salmon. On the other hand, alpha-linolenic acid is typically found in non-animal sources, such as, flaxseed, walnuts, and soybeans. Because alpha-linolenic acid is derived from plant sources, such as flax, vegetarians often exclusively use flax seed oil as a source of omega-3 fats even though, sadly, it does not contain within it any EPA or DHA whatsoever. Humans are able to convert alpha-linolenic acid into eicosapentaenoic acid then, subsequently, into docosahexaenoic acid, but this process is altogether very inefficient. This is partly because the protein that turns ALA into EPA is rate limiting, because of the fact that it also chemically binds to omega-6 fatty acids (thus, the problem is significantly worse if your diet is high in omega-6 fatty acids).