Seal Oil: The Best Omega 3 You Can Get?
Should you be switching your omega 3 supplements to seal oil?
Many professionals believe that seal oil is the new omega 3 star. That means that, while fish oil and flax products, for example, are high in omega 3s, seal oil may be the single most beneficial product you can take.
This discovery is not new: back in the 1970's, a study of Inuit people discovered that they had a very low risk of heart disease and cancer. This was in spite of the fact that they ate a lot of fat in their traditional diet, much of which consisted of fatty meat such as seal. Further studies suggest that seal oil benefits may actually outweigh fish oil benefits in terms of omega 3 content.
Seal oil: a controversial topic
Of course, it's almost impossible to mention seal oil without people becoming upset. That's because traditionally, the seal hunt has been a highly controversial matter and attracted the attention of many animal rights' activists. As with any issue, it's important that you understand both sides of the debate and make your own decision.
Arguments for seal oil: Proponents point out that seal oil benefits are tremendous, and that seal hunters generally use all of the animal. The vast majority of seal hunting occurs in Canada, where it is strictly regulated. For the past 20 years, baby seals have been off limits to hunters (the so-called 'whitecoats' often pictured in animal rights commercials).
The seal hunt occurs in a short window of time and provides money to impoverished fishers in Canada's atlantic provinces, as well as being a traditional way of life for Canada's First Nations and Inuit people. In addition, many people with fish allergies can still safely take seal oil capsules as they contain different types of materials.
Arguments against seal oil: Studies vary on how humane the seal hunt is. A study by Canadian veterinarians found that in 98% of cases, seals were killed more humanely than most animals in slaughterhouses. However, other studies have disagreed and accused fishers of failing to make sure the seals were dead or unconscious before bleeding them or reeling them in.
In addition, many people simply like seals. They're intelligent animals, and while the baby 'whitecoats' are no longer hunted, most of the seals killed are relatively young (under 3 months -- old enough to have left their parents, but still covered in dark fur).
Should you buy seal oil?
Where you stand on the seal hunt issue will probably decide whether you want to buy seal oil. If you do, there are many places online where you can purchase seal oil capsules, or a number of health food stores carry seal oil products.
In terms of nutrition, there's no controversy: seal oil contains heaps of omega 3 long chain acids and almost no omega 6 oils, which we get more than enough of already. So if you're simply looking for the most efficient way to get your omega 3s, seal oil could be the product for you.
