Here is what I consider essential when it comes to the quality of fish oil:

1. The purest forms of fish oil are derived from sardines and anchovies and purified through a flash-molecular distillation process.
2. Fish oil must be rigorously tested to ensure that it is free of unsafe levels of impurities, including PCBs, heavy metals, or oxidized contaminants.
3. The most beneficial omega-3s are EPA and DHA, which can only be found in high concentration in fish oil. Plant-based omega-3 ALA from flaxseed oil cannot give you all the benefits of fish oil.
4. When taking fish oil, also take high quality full-spectrum vitamin E with tocotrienols and tocopherols, vitamin A, vitamin D, and the super antioxidant astaxanthin to protect against lipid peroxidation (essentially unprotected fish oils without antioxidants can spoil inside the body), which can be toxic to every cell in the body. This also provides additional fat soluable antioxidant protection in the body.
5. Along with fish oil consider also taking GLA from borage seed oil or evening primrose oil, which in combination with fish oil helps balance the body’s anti-inflammatory pathways.
6. Try to take your fish oil supplement an hour before a meal 
whenever possible, because the fiber in your meal can absorb these critically important fatty acids before they can reach your cells.
7. Fish oil will retain its original flavor and aroma. If not, the oils have been over-processed.
8. Soon both EPA and DHA will be available from algae sources, which I find exciting because numerous strict vegetarians will finally have access to these essential nutrients.

KC Craichy
Author
The Super Health Diet