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What’s the difference between omega-3 from plants, fish, and algae?
Fish, plants, and nut oils are the primary dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids. But which one should you choose?
Omega-3 is one of the most beneficial types of dietary supplements available today. It’s a polyunsaturated fat that can be found in several sources, including plants, fish, and even algae. In this blog post, we’ll uncover the astonishing differences between omega-3 from these various sources. We’ll explore the health benefits of omega-3, how to choose a quality omega-3 supplement, and how much of it you should be taking. So, let’s get started!

Omega-3 is also known as an Essential Fatty Acid (EFA) because it’s critical for sustaining human health. Research indicates that omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial in controlling blood pressure, decreasing the level of triglycerides, impeding the formation of plaque in arteries, decreasing the risk of arrhythmia, and diminishing the likelihood of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke, as well as sudden cardiac death in individuals with heart disease.
Types and Sources of Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids can be acquired from certain foods, such as seafood and flaxseed, as well as dietary supplements like fish oil. The three major types of omega-3 fatty acids are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA is mainly found in plant oils including flaxseed, soybean, and canola. EPA and DHA are mainly sourced from cold-water fatty fish, such as salmon. Each source has its own unique characteristics and benefits, which makes it important to understand the differences between them. Let’s take a closer look at each source of omega-3 and its benefits.

Omega-3 from Plants
Omega-3 from plants is most commonly derived from flaxseed and h**p. Flaxseed is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, and h**p is a rich source of omega-6 fatty acids. Both are fantastic foods that offer a number of health benefits. For example, the omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed can help reduce inflammation, while the omega-6 fatty acids in h**p can help improve cardiovascular health. Walnuts, soy products, pumpkin seeds, and canola oil are also reliable sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These foods have a lower quantity of ALA than flax and Chia seeds, however, they can still contribute to increasing your general ALA consumption.

Omega-3 from Fish
Fish is another fantastic source of omega-3. When it comes to omega-3 fatty acids, fatty fish are the best source and they are helpful in promoting cardiovascular health. Some of the fish that are high in omega-3s are salmon, sardine, Atlantic mackerel, cod, herring, lake trout, and canned, light tuna.

Omega-3 from Algae
Algae contain quite a bit of omega-3 with the added benefit of being more sustainable than sourcing omega-3 from fish. What’s more, algae doesn’t contain any mercury or other contaminants that can be found in some fish. Certain types of algae, such as seaweed, nori, spirulina, and chlorella, are incredible sources of omega-3. These species can be incorporated into human diets and include both DHA and EPA fatty acids, which make them easily digestible.

Health Benefits of Omega-3
Studies have indicated that omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial in:

Decreasing blood pressure: A research review, which was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, concluded that 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids a day is the most advantageous amount to reduce blood pressure. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish and fish oil supplements and are composed of EPA and DHA, have been demonstrated to be as effective as making lifestyle changes such as increasing physical activity, lessening salt intake, and reducing alcohol consumption in decreasing blood pressure, according to a meta-analysis that was recently published in the American Journal of Hypertension.
Lowering triglyceride levels: Studies have provided compelling evidence that omega-3 fatty acids can drastically reduce triglyceride concentrations in the blood. Additionally, there appears to be a minor rise in high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol, although a rise in levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol was also noticed.
Delaying the growth of plaque in the arteries: Evidence suggests that long-term use of fish oil has the ability to reduce the rigidity of arteries. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil, namely DHA and EPA, are thought to make arteries more pliable by decreasing inflammation, the possibility of blood clots, and the narrowing of the vessels.
Decreasing the risk of abnormal heart rhythm: It has been repeatedly shown that consuming marine omega-3s has an antiarrhythmic effect. Ingesting these omega-3s causes increased cell membrane fluidity, a block of L-type calcium channels, and a lower likelihood of arrhythmic occurrences during vulnerable periods.
Decreasing the occurrence of heart attack and stroke: Studies suggest that omega-6 fatty acids may in fact decrease the risk of developing heart disease or stroke. Until further research is conducted, you can help keep your heart healthy by moderating the intake of saturated fats in your diet and incorporating plant-based foods such as flaxseed or canola oil.
Limiting the possibility of sudden cardiac death in individuals with cardiovascular disease: Studies have not only shown that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) can reduce the danger of cardiovascular disease but also show their potential to decrease the likelihood of death caused by a heart attack, stroke, coronary artery disease (CAD), sudden cardiac death, and all other forms of mortality.

Scientists say biocomputers made from tiny ‘brains’ are the future. Here’s why
We're witnessing the development of a new frontier in computing, moving away from AI back to where it all started: the human brain.
Everyone is freaking out over artificial intelligence systems and their potential to disrupt, well, everything really. But this tunnel vision shouldn’t distract us from what can be achieved by tapping into natural intelligence, which is orders of magnitude more capable in some areas of computing than the biggest, meanest AIs and supercomputers.

Now, imagine how extraordinary it would be if we could somehow combine the raw computing power and precision of silicon-based computers with the cognitive abilities of the human brain. But is such a thing even possible? Indeed it may be, according to an international group of leading scientists who outlined their plan for so-called “organoid intelligence” (OI) enabled by biocomputers that use actual human brain cells rather than transistors to store, retrieve, and process information.

Move over AI: meet OI
When people see computers defeat human masters with a breeze in complex games, such as chess in the 1900s or more recently at Go, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that they are superior to us in all manners of thinking — not so.

Let’s start off by recognizing the fact that there are many similarities between the architecture of the brain and that of a computer, as both consist of largely separate circuits for input, output, central processing, and memory. This is of course by design as the pioneers of computing modeled artificial thinking machines based on the human brain. For instance, the brief but profound book The Computer and the Brain by the brilliant and unequaled John von Neumann in the 1940s is still the basis of most modern computers.

However, there are also profound differences between the two architectures, one silicon-based, the other biological. Computers can make computations at least 10 million times faster than the human brain. The precision of computations done by humans is around 1 in 100, whereas a 32-bit processor has a precision of 1 in 4 billion. If you want to crunch raw numbers and data, computers are unequaled.

But ask a computer whether the image of a four-legged creature represents a giraffe or a horse and it will be in trouble. Or imagine a basketball player following the trajectory of a ball that is passed and moved around the court, all while constantly contracting hundreds of individual muscles to move their limbs precisely and in coordination with other players. These are all trivial tasks for humans but can be almost downright impossible in some cases for computers. Moreover, the human brain achieves all of this at a fraction of the power consumption of a digital computer.

Over the past decades, computer scientists and engineers have tried to bridge this gap by adding more features of the human brain to computer design. The principles of parallel processing and use-dependent modification of connection strength have been incorporated into modern computers through the use of multiple processors, or cores, in a single computer. Deep learning algorithms that allow machines to identify objects or speech are directly inspired by the systems in the mammalian visual and auditory cortexes.

But these emulations may be reaching their limits, which is where organoid intelligence comes in.

Bland strawberries? Blame the pesticides
Pesticides may mess up plant's molecular mechanisms, impacting their flavor quality.
Strawberries are a quintessential summer fruit. But, have you ever taken a bite of a beautiful, red strawberry only to be disappointed with its bland and watery flavor? If so, you might want to take a closer look at the pesticides used on the crop.

In a recent study published in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers found that certain fungicides commonly used on strawberries can impact cellular mechanisms, resulting in berries with subdued flavor, sweetness, and lower nutritional value.

Flavor and nutrition in berries disrupted by pesticides
The flavor and nutritional value of fruits, including berries, are a result of their unique taste, smell, and composition. For instance, sweetness often arises from the amount of dissolved glucose or fructose present, while aroma comes from volatile compounds such as esters and terpenes. Additionally, many fruits are rich in essential nutrients, such as vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants.

However, fungicides are designed to disrupt the cellular processes of detrimental fungi, and they could inadvertently interfere with the production of these essential flavor and nutritional compounds. Therefore, a team led by Jinling Diao from China Agricultural University set out to investigate how two common fungicides used on strawberries, boscalid (BOS) and difenoconazole (DIF), affect molecular pathways in berries.

“Consumers have been complaining about the deterioration of the flavor of strawberries. The use of pesticides could have potential impacts on fruit flavor but the mechanisms are unclear,” the researchers noted in their study.

The researchers grew three groups of strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duch) in identical conditions. They applied BOS or DIF to two of the groups when the berries were still green, while the third group received no treatment.

Even after treatment, the fully grown berries were identical in size and color to those grown without pesticides. However, when they analyzed the chemical makeup of each berry, a striking pattern emerged. Soluble sugars and nutrients, such as sucrose and Vitamin C, were reduced in the strawberries sprayed with pesticides. Additionally, some of the sugars were converted into acids in mature fruit, thereby making them even less sweet. Oxidative damage owing to the pesticide use also subdued taste and aroma. These negative effects were felt strongest using boscalid.

Moreover, upon closer inspection, the team discovered that boscalid had a direct impact on the regulation of genes involved in cellular pathways responsible for producing sugars, volatile compounds, nutrients, and amino acids. This assessment was also confirmed through perceived taste as in a blind taste test, people consistently preferred the untreated strawberries.