Shopping for Fish Oil

Fish-oil supplements are an easy way to add more omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. The translucent, gelatin capsules are odorless, tasteless, and easy to swallow, even though they are large. And they’re also relatively inexpensive— you can get 100 1,000-milligram softgels for under $3. (As a reminder, 1,000 milligrams equal 1 gram.) Just be sure to look for a brand with the USP label (see page 125) verifying that the supplement contains the level of ingredients the label claims. When ConsumerLab.com, an independent company that evaluates dietary supplements, tested fish-oil supplements, it found that one-third of the 20 brands tested did not contain the levels of EPA and OHA advertised. Two of the products that failed even stated on their labels that they had been tested or verified for potency. Among the brands that passed the test: Nutrilite Omega 3 Complex Dietary Supplement and Puritan’s Pride Inspired By Nature Salmon Oil.