What nutrients might be missing from fish oil supplements compared to whole oily fish?
Answer
Vitamin D or selenium.
While fish oil supplements serve as a viable alternative for individuals who cannot consume fish due to allergy or dislike, they generally do not offer the complete nutritional package found in the whole food source. Whole oily fish provide a broad spectrum of nutrients beyond just the concentrated omega-3s. Specifically, whole fish intake often delivers significant amounts of Vitamin D and selenium, which are typically absent or present in negligible amounts in standard fish oil extracts used for supplementation. This difference is important when relying on supplements to replace fish entirely in the diet.

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