What are the different omega-3 fatty acids, specifically DHA, EPA, and ALA, and how do they differ?
DHA and EPA are the two main “long chain” Omega 3 fatty acids that are found in algae and fish.
ALA (alpha linolenic acid) is the main “short chain” Omega-3 fatty acid found primarily in plants such as flaxseed and chia.
How do these omega fatty acids support the body?
- DHA contributes to maintenance of normal brain function
- DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal vision
- EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart
The beneficial effect is associated with a daily intake of 250 mg of DHA / DHA and EPA.
The Juice Plus+ Omega Blend provides 275mg of DHA/EPA per day (2 capsules a day.)
Is Juice Plus+ Omega Blend vegan?
Yes. There are absolutely no animal products or by-products in Juice Plus+ Omega Blend. Even the capsule is vegan.
Why do we use algal oil in Juice Plus+ Omega Blend rather than fish, like many other Omega 3 products do?
The algal oil in Juice Plus+ Omega Blend comes from a microalgae, Schizochytrium, which is grown specifically for its rich DHA and EPA content. Fish get their DHA and EPA from eating algae, so we like to say that we are just cutting out the middle fish and going to the original plant source.
How are the oils in Juice Plus+ Omega Blend processed?
As with the ingredients in all of our Juice Plus+ products, we do our best to keep the most nutrition intact and in a bioavailable form.
For the seed oils in Juice Plus+ Omega Blend, this means that they are cold pressed. It is a similar process to that used to make high quality olive oil. The sea buckthorn berry oil, for example, is extracted using liquid CO2, which allows us to extract the oil from the berries without damaging them through the use of harsh chemicals or the release of toxins (either into the environment or into the product). The algal oil is processed using molecular distillation, which is a process that separates the smallest molecules of DHA and EPA from the bulk of the algae, again without damaging the oils or releasing toxins.
Why does our capsule look different than other oil supplements?
Our Omega Blend is offered in a new, unique, state-of-the-art delivery form: a two-piece hard-shell capsule. The two pieces of the Omega Blend capsule are fused together using a proprietary technique developed by our capsule partners that uses water instead of heat. Our capsule is thus better than traditional delivery forms for oils because the lower temperatures keeps the oils inside the capsules from degrading. Additionally, the bubble you see in our capsules is nitrogen that we put in to further protect our oils from degrading.