Study: Salmon Outranks Pills for Omega-3, Selenium

AUCKLAND, New Zealand—Investigating whether salmon or fish oil tablets are better for increasing omega-3 fatty acid status, researchers at Massey's Institute of Food, Health and Human Nutrition in Albany found that eating salmon provided an added dose of selenium.

Researchers compared a group of healthy volunteers who ate a 120g portion of salmon twice a week with another group who took salmon oil capsules containing the equivalent omega-3; participants were found to have similar levels of omega-3 in the blood. They found that the people who consumed salmon were able to significantly increase their blood concentrations of selenium compared to the group who took capsules.

Selenium is an important antioxidant in the body and has been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.

Omega-3 benefits heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis and eye diseases as well as enhances brain function and helps combat mood disorders such as depression. Omega-3 can be obtained from a range of plant sources such as flaxseeds, walnuts, and canola and soybean oil, as well as animal sources such as fish, meat and eggs.