Keen to choose the best plant-based omega for your health needs? Ever wondered which omega is best? If you’re looking to support brain and mood, joints, glowing skin, heart health or whole-body wellness, omega-3 is an essential all-rounder.
And with growing awareness on the benefits of omega-3 and fish oil, we’re making your mindful, healthy choices easier.
You can make ethical choices with our Marine Sustainability Policy, which ensures every marine omega product we sell meets independently verified environmental and ethical standards.
However, with this increased popularity of fish oil supplements worldwide impacting fish stocks – choosing a vegan omega-3 is a more sustainable choice for our planet.
Plant based or vegan omega fatty acids like Algae Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Hempseed Oil, and Flaxseed Oil are more sustainably sourced. Health benefits, sustainability benefits and lighter on the wallet too - so many reasons to choose them.
Are vegan omega 3 supplements effective?
Absolutely. In fact, fish are a rich source of omegas because they feed on algae - a plant-based nutrient. As a naturopath, Omega 3 is a staple for me (mainly for happy mood, mental focus, plus skin hydration as an added bonus.) Omega 3s tend to be lacking in our typical western diets. Scientists call them ‘essential fatty acids’ because they’re essential for health and the body can’t make them. So, it's essential to get them from our diet - and we're willing to bet you're not eating oily fish a few times a week? And if you are - kudos to you! Thankfully, that's where supplementation comes in - to help fill nutritional gaps. They’re crucial throughout the lifespan - including in the womb and especially for healthy aging.
Do vegan omega 3 supplements work?
They’re great for whole body health, here are a few specific areas:
- Heart health – like circulation, blood pressure and cholesterol
- Joints – comfortable and supple joints
- Mood – for feeling happy and balanced
- Brain focus - when you need to feel ‘switched on’
- Skin health - for moisture retention, calming irritation and soft aging
Which plant-based Omega 3 is best?
I’ve outlined the main benefits of each plant-based omega 3 below. As a naturopath, I recommend Algae Omega 3 above all others. It’s the most bioavailable and the most sustainably sourced of all plant omegas.
Easy to absorb & sustainable - Algae omega
Algae Omega 3 is the most sustainably sourced Omega supplement. It’s fast-growing, making it an easily renewable resource.
Algae are the original source of marine omega 3 – fish feed on algae, which are rich in omegas. The good news is you can get algae straight from the source in sustainable, vegan omega-3 supplements.
Algae oil contains the all-important EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) compounds. These are the health supporting goodies that other vegan omegas lack. This makes it the most bioavailable plant omega too. It’s a great option for healthy joints, mental focus, smooth skin and a healthy heart. Also, a great option if you’re looking to be proactive about your daily wellness and aging softly as omega-3 with EPA and DHA are commonly deficient in our diets (unless you eat oily fish, like mullet, salmon or mackerel at least twice a week).
Best algae omega oil – Lifestream Vegan Omega
- Top seller - Algae Oil with EPA and DHA
- Easy 2 vege caps daily dose
- Eco packaging – made from renewable sugarcane plastic that’s kerbside recyclable
Best vegan omega for skin – Evening Primrose Oil
Evening Primrose oil has stacks of research behind it for glowing skin support. It has a special skin-loving lipid called GLA (gamma linolenic acid). It’s also popular for PMS support, with research to back this up too.
Why is evening Primrose Oil is the best omega for skin?
Published studies show that Evening Primrose Oil supplements support skin moisture, skin firmness, and skin elasticity. It also supports what scientists call TEWL (transepidermal water loss) otherwise known as how well the skin seals in moisture. Research shows that Evening Primrose oil supports many skin issues too– especially when there’s dryness and irritation involved.
Keen on Evening Primrose Oil for PMS? GLA is key for healthy prostaglandin formation which explains its popularity in supporting breast and abdominal comfort during PMS time.
Consistency is key here – the health support can take a bit longer than other supplements. Be patient and give it 6 weeks for the full support, it’ll be worth the wait. For best results follow the dose on product packaging. And don’t worry – you can take Evening Primrose Oil any time of the day.
Best evening primrose supplement – Efamol Pure Evening Primrose Oil
- Up to 33% more GLA than other Evening Primrose oils
- Well-researched for skin health and PMS
- Top selling softgels, customer favourite – 5 star reviews
Best plant-based omega for whole body health - Flaxseed Oil
Flaxseed oil is an all-rounder for health, it offers a good ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6. Whether your goals are around general health and wellness, or you have a more specific goal, like heart, brain, aging or skin health. It’s especially great if you’re vegan or follow a plant-based diet as flaxseed provides a balanced omega option.
You can try a Flaxseed oil liquid to add creaminess to your smoothies or for convenience take a capsule.
Best flaxseed oil supplement – Waihi Bush Organic Flaxseed Oil
- Liquid oil, cold pressed and unrefined
- Great reviews for taste
- Versatile- take straight off a spoon or add it to foods
Prefer flaxseed oil in capsules? Try Good Health Flaxomega Flaxseed Oil
- NZ grown on the fertile Canterbury plains
- Convenient softgel capsules for when you’re on-the-go
- Budget-friendly –less than 20 cents per capsule for 300 capsule pack
Best plant omega for joints – Hemp Seed Oil
Looking to support healthy, comfy and flexible joints? Hempseed oil is ideal for joint support because it contains SDA (Stearadonic Acid) an Omega-3 component that can be converted into EPA. As mentioned earlier, EPA is the main omega 3 component that supports joint health.
Additionally, hemp seed oil is distinctive for its green colour, which is attributed to the presence of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is a natural pigment found in plants and has antioxidant properties supporting oxidative stress in the body, great for soft aging. Hemp seed oil supplements have been steadily growing in popularity and with hemp seeds grown throughout Aotearoa, it’s a lovely, local choice. Our community loves them.
Naturopath tip:
You can use Hemp seed oil in your healthy recipes too. It’s best not to heat it, as the healthy oils can be damaged by heat. Try it in salad dressing and unbaked treats.
Best hemp seed oil supplement – Hemp Farm Hempseed Oil Capsules
- Crowd pleaser, with great reviews
- Easy to take softgel capsule form
- New Zealand grown hemp seed oil
Getting the best out of your Omegas
Keen to help your omega-3 supplement go further? You can combine them with these companion – Naturopath picked products:
To support your joints and flexibility – Solgar No 7
This natural supplement combines turmeric with other synergistic herbs, antioxidant vitamin C, and a collagen source to support joint health and comfort. All of it in an easy to take, one 1-a-day capsule.
To support mood and focus – Flow State Lion's Mane
Lion’s mane growing popularity is for good reasons: this functional mushroom supports focus, mental clarity, healthy mood and stress response. Flow State’s Lion’s Mane is third party tested for heavy metals, pesticide residue, microbials and to ensure that high quality active compounds (beta-d-glucans) are preserved.
To support heart health - Nutra-Life Kyolic Aged Garlic
This top reviewed product is one of our customers favourites to support heart, cholesterol, and blood pressure health. Kyolic aged garlic is scientifically formulated with organically grown garlic bulbs. The unique extraction process creates a non-irritating formula, with no garlic aftertaste.
To support skin health – Solgar Liquid Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight free radicals that cause oxidative stress. Antioxidants support healthy aging and general health.
This versatile vitamin E supports skin health and skin healing. Can be used internally for daily support nut also externally, added to your daily moisturiser or skin cream. It’s also vegan friendly - the perfect daily companion to make your plant-based omega go further. Looking for more inspiration on your plant-based journey? Check out 10 pantry essentials that make plant-based easy.
On a vegan diet? While all plant-based products mentioned in this guide serve as vegan sources of omega-3 as an alternative to fish oil, it's important to note that some of these products may not be entirely vegan. Gelatin-based capsules are used for optimal preservation of some vegan omega oils. The softgels or gelcaps mentioned above aren't vegan. If you avoid gelatin, the Lifestream Vegan Omega vegecaps and Waihi Bush Flaxseed oil liquid are the best options for you.