This is Dr. Mercola, welcoming you to another Question & Answer Video Update. Today, we have an important question from Duane from Reston, Virginia, who asks about the difference between chia seeds and Krill Oil as sources of omega-3 fats. Certainly, almost all of you have heard about, and understand, the enormous benefits omega-3 fats play in our lives, especially related to prevention of degenerative diseases and staying optimally healthy. Each and every one of us need a regular source of omega-3 fats, and if we don't get them in our diet, we'll suffer severe health consequences. So, that's the first important point to understand.

Now, we get into the subtleties of how to apply this nutritional principle. Interestingly, chia seeds are quite similar to flax seeds and hemp seeds. Chia seeds, which come primarily from South America, have been used for ages and are a very beneficial source of omega-3 fats. Like flax seed, they also have water-soluble fiber, and because of this, when you place flax or chia in water, they turn into a gelatinous consistency. The water-soluble fiber provides additional benefits, namely lowering amounts of hormones such as estrogen, and reducing the risk of certain cancers, such as breast and prostate cancer.

So flax and chia seeds are highly beneficial, and ideally, should be complemented with animal-based sources of omega-3 fats; it's not that you should have one or the other, rather, ideally, you should have both. But if you're going to rely on one or the other, you're far better off using an animal-based omega-3 source.

As far as flax and chia seeds, flax is easier to find than chia. One simple way to get chia seeds is to enjoy our Cocoa Cassava bars, a high-energy bar available on our site, a great alternative to snacking on unhealthy foods. This bar, of course, contains chia seeds, an excellent source of omega-3 fats and beneficial fiber.

I'll explain the distinction. In the plant-based omega-3's, there is a lower level, 18-carbon fatty acid called ALA, alpha linolenic acid, that provides the source of omega-3 fats. But in the animal-based type, you have higher levels, which is the 20-carbon chain, EPA, and the 22-carbon chain, DHA. The DHA is the one that's primarily in our brains, and you really need quite a bit of it.

You'll run into problems if you supplement exclusively with DHA or EPA. You really need the whole spectrum of fatty acids because each are important. Your body requires all of them.

Let's cover some of the basics. If you use only plant-based, 18-carbon fatty acid, then your body has to upregulate, or convert, those into EPA. If you happen to have conditions associated with high insulin levels, the enzyme needed for this conversion is impaired, thereby inhibiting optimal conversion of fatty acids; probably less than 1-2% will be converted to the higher order fats like EPA and DHA. So, be careful about this.

How do you know if you have high insulin levels? Well, there are conditions that are typically associated with elevated insulin, such as overweight, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure or diabetes, and about 85% of our population have these. So, make sure that you get animal-based omega-3 fats.

Regarding the plant sources, the most common one is flax seed. If you use this, be sure it's fresh. You certainly may take it in oil form, but ideally, you'll want to get it from fresh, organic flax seeds, grind a few tablespoons fresh in a little coffee grinder and use it in your meals. That's really the best way. Flax seed oil is highly perishable and will easily oxidize once exposed to air, leading to rancid fatty acids, which you'll want to avoid, as they're quite unhealthy.

Another way to get animal-based omega-3's is with fish. Of course, most fish are contaminated with mercury and other pollutants, which is why you'll want to select high-quality supplements. Fish oil is one. Another animal-based source is Krill Oil, recently recommended for a number of reasons, one of which is, there's a far more easily- replenished supply of krill. There is great concern over dwindling numbers of ocean fish, which are being rapidly depleted, so will not be sufficient to provide our population with the needed amount of beneficial fatty acids. The alternative is to use a more readily-replenished supply such as Krill Oil, one of the most common ocean-food sources.

A key advantage to using krill is its clinical efficacy. It's attached to a phosphate bond, which increases absorption; so you need less of it, and it's taken up by the brain much more readily. Additionally, it's digested more easily, without the burping commonly associated with fish oils.

There's also an antioxidant in krill, which actually serves to protect these highly-perishable fatty acids; so, there's less likelihood of rancidity.

I'd like to thank Duane for his great question by sending him a bottle of Krill oil. Remember, simple basic information like this will help you take control of your health. Keep in mind the importance of a regular source of omega-3 fats. Please make sure you identify one and make sure you and your family are taking it regularly, as it's such an important way to stay health and to take control of your health.