What if I can’t swallow a large, one-gram, fish oil capsule?

Those large fish oil caps can be a real problem for the elderly, children and anyone with swallowing difficulties. The good news is, there are other choices!

Your choices

Option 1

The first and best option is to buy the smaller easy-to-swallow double- or triple-strength capsules as long as you work out that you are getting the equivalent of 500 milligrams a day. Smaller-sized capsules include: 

• Any tablets sold as a mini or mini-cap
• Krill oil capsules
• Lyprinol capsules

• The downside? These can often be more expensive than the larger one-gram capsules and are rarely on sale.

Option 2

• Fish oil also comes in bottles. This allows you to take your fish oil as a liquid by the teaspoon.

•  The downside? You get to taste it. Not very pleasant

Is liquid fish oil better than the capsules?

Let’s compare liquid fish oil compares to capsules. Capsules are convenient to take and easy when you’re busy or travelling.

However, liquid or bottled fish oil is less expensive and allows you to ingest a higher dose in one go without having to swallow so many capsules. For example, 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of liquid fish oil is equivalent to 5 regular capsules. If you need to swallow 10 or 12 fish oil capsules each day, you’d find it easier and quicker to swallow a tablespoon of the liquid oil.

Pour it into a small glass of juice or milk and swallow in one go, like a shot. The bottles usually come with a plastic measure to help you.

For cardiovascular effect

        5 mL daily or as directed by your doctor

        (by measure or equivalent to 1 level metric teaspoon)

 For anti-inflammatory effect

          15 mL daily or as directed by your doctor

          (by measure or equivalent to 3/4 level metric tablespoon) 

The bottom line

I hope this short extract from my eBook "Fish Oils & Omega-3s” will help you understand what you’re reading when you see something about fish oil capsules. If you want to learn more about fish oils and their uses, grab yourself a copy from the Foodwatch shop. It lists and explains the most common terms, compares popular brands of capsules and reveals the key considerations in choosing the most beneficial fish oil for you.

To buy your copy of the eBook, click here. 

This is an extract from the book "Fish Oils & Omega-3s”