With its high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, krill oil has become essential in helping curb stiffness and joint pain, lowering triglyceride levels to boost heart health, and keeping your brain sharp and memory clear.
Unfortunately, most companies selling krill oil today are just fishing for your money… and don’t actually care about providing a quality product.
We’ve compiled a list of ways to separate fact from fiction when it comes to reading labels, so you can choose the highest quality krill oil and start seeing results.
steer clear of "synthetic."
A lot of companies will try to trick you with generic or even synthetic varieties of krill oil. Not only are these not clinically studied, but they are typically manufactured in China instead of being sourced from the ocean. So instead of getting authentic krill oil, you’re getting an artificial substitute.
When it comes to choosing a krill oil, stick with the all-natural varieties that come directly from the Antarctic, are patented, and have been clinically studied. The easiest way to tell is right on the label -- instead of saying “pure” or “simply” krill oil, it will have a specific name brand such as Superba or K-Real. Anything else is just expensive fish food.
If it's not "certified Sustainable" -- Stay away!
Another thing you want to ensure you’re clearly seeing on your krill oil label is that it’s “certified sustainable.”
This means that the company’s practices and values have been evaluated by a third-party and deemed to be acceptable. If it doesn’t say certified sustainable, then that company may be using practices that are not only indicative of a lower quality product but are also unethical and hazardous to the environment.
Don’t be Fooled by High Numbers and Low Ingredients.
Many labels will boast what appears to be a very high milligram count of krill oil, however, upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that the actual count of fatty acids… is rather low (or not shown at all).
That means you’re getting more of the “fluff,” but not enough of the essential EPA and DHA (or fatty acids), you need in order to actually feel the effects. Make sure when you’re evaluating the label, you not only check the number of milligrams of krill oil but the number of EPA and DHA, as well (it should be at least 100 milligrams for each) -- this will ensure you’re getting the most out of each and every capsule.
don't forget the phospholipids.
In order for the krill oil to make the wild trek through your body and not get eaten alive by your digestive system, it needs to be adequately protected. The best way to do this is through phospholipids -- a special kind of all-natural protein designed to help ensure the oil is appropriately encased for its journey.
However, just having phospholipids might not necessarily be enough -- you also want to make sure your krill oil has the proper amount. A high-quality product will have at least 400 milligrams of phospholipids. So always make sure you double-check before you buy or you might end up with krill oil that your body is unable to absorb… making it completely ineffective.
Make Sure They’re Not Anti- Antioxidants.
To make sure you’re choosing a quality krill oil, you want to make sure it has at least 1 milligram of astaxanthin -- an extremely powerful antioxidant that helps boost immune function and protect cells from damage.
Many products will say they have astaxanthin, but if you look close you’ll see it’s only a few hundred mcg -- or micrograms. In order to ensure this is a quality product, you’ll want to select one that has at least 1 milligram. (That’s 1,000 micrograms!)
The bottom line
When it comes to krill oil, there are a lot of options -- so don’t let cheap products and fishy labels fool you. In order to truly reap the benefits of krill oil, you want to make sure you’re only buying the very best.
And because we believe in the power of krill oil, we decided to do the hard work for you. So after extensive research (using our own strict criteria and real-life consumer reviews from people just like you), we were able to narrow down the top 5 krill oils currently on the market. Be sure to check them out by clicking the link below.