10 Best Vegan Omega 3 Supplements (UK)

As omega 3 is most commonly found in fish, it’s something that almost all vegans and vegetarians struggle to get enough of in their diets. If this is a concern for you, then you’ll be pleased to know that there are lots of vegan omega 3 supplements to choose from.

But with so many vegan-friendly algae omega 3 supplements to choose from in the UK, how do we know which is best? Are the more expensive brands worth the extra?

I’ve tried lots of different omega 3 supplements and have spent many hours analyzing what’s inside the top vegan omega 3 brands. So, read on to discover which is the best vegan omega 3 for you…

Instead of fish oil, the best vegan omega 3 supplements are made from algae. Rather than the algae being eaten by krill, which is eaten by fish and then eaten by humans, we can skip the middlemen (or middle fish) and get our omega 3 from algal oil supplements.

There are many advantages to vegan algae omega 3 capsules over cod liver oil and other fish-based omega 3 supplements. They’re better for the fish, better for the planet and you can avoid that nasty fishy aftertaste. However, algae can have a taste of its own, which is something to be aware of with some algae-based omega 3 supplements!

The Top Vegan Omega 3 Brands

This table compares the most popular vegan omega 3 supplements. Further on in this guide, there’s also a review of each one.

Brand	Photo	Why choose?	Price	Latest Price
Performance Lab		Best quality	￡￡￡	Check Latest Price
Dr Vegan		Best value	￡	Check Latest Price
Feel		Popular brand	￡	Check Latest Price

How to buy the best omega 3 supplements for you

All supplements are not created equally. Far from it, in fact. When choosing the best vegan omega 3 supplements, there are a few things that you should take into consideration.

The best form to take vegan omega 3

The best way to take omega 3 is in capsules. If you struggle to swallow capsules, chewable gummy omega 3 sweets are also a good option.

• Capsules – Also known as softgels, these fit the maximum amount of nutrients into an easy-to-swallow capsule
• Gummies – Perfect for kids and people who don’t like to swallow pills, the best gummies taste just like sweets
• Liquids – Similar to medicine or cod liver oil, vegan omega 3 liquid never tastes great
• Powders – These are made from ground-up seeds, so you need to consume a lot and they are high in calories

Ingredients that vegans should avoid in omega 3

• Fish oil – Standard omega 3 supplements are made from fish, so be sure to check that yours is fish-free
• Gelatine – Made with the bones, tendons and ligaments of pigs, cows and sheep, this is a common ingredient used to make capsules
• Carrageenan – Used as a gelatine alternative in some vegetarian capsules, this is an extract from a red seaweed that’s native to the British Isles. It’s been linked to digestive problems and there have been calls to ban its use in food

What makes supplements eco-friendly?

• Packaging – Choose plastic-free packaging where possible, or ensure that it can be recycled
• Made in UK – Choose supplements that are made in the UK for a lower carbon footprint
• Avoid fish – Seafood is not sustainable, whereas lab-grown microalgae is

Reviews of the Best Vegan Omega 3 Supplements

✅ DHA: 600 mg ✅ EPA: 300 mg

If you want the best of the best, Performance Lab omega 3 softgels are the very best vegan omega 3 supplements that you can buy.

Formulated in soft and easy-to-swallow capsules, these supplements have no taste or smell. Just don’t try to bite one open as I did for an experiment!

What sets Performance Lab vitamins aside from other vegan omega 3 supplements is the high quality of the ingredients which are delivered in precise, potent doses.

These are the world’s first carrageenan-free softgels. Once swallowed, they disintegrate easily so that your body can benefit from the nutrients without any discomfort.

While these capsules do cost a little more, they contain twice as much omega 3 as the next leading brand.

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✅ DHA: 300 mg ✅ EPA: 150 mg ✅ Vitamin E: 6mg (50% NRV)

If Performance Lab omega 3 capsules seem too expensive or you think that you might struggle to swallow large capsules, then I recommend that you try Dr Vegan omega 3.

Made from high-quality algae oil, Dr Vegan capsules are easy to swallow and have no taste or smell. This is important. Every other omega 3 I’ve tried aside from Dr Vegan and Performance Lab has a nasty aftertaste that has repeated on me all day. Not with these.

I love that these supplements come in a recyclable paper pouch inside a letterbox-friendly cardboard box.

You’ll also get a free metal pill tin worth £7 that you can use to keep all of your vitamins in.

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✅ DHA: 300 mg ✅ EPA: 150 mg

Feel vegan-friendly algae omega 3 supplements are a good alternative to Performance Lab capsules. If you set up a recurring subscription, these capsules will work out cheaper.

They use the exact same source of DHA and EPA, which is life’s™ OMEGA 60. The difference is that these capsules contain half as much. They can also have an aftertaste. I just couldn’t get on with the taste of algae repeating on me throughout the day

If you eat a decent amount of plant-based omega 3 rich food already and don’t want to spend a lot of money, these could be the best option for you.

Read my full Feel review.

✅ DHA: 500 mg ✅ EPA: 250 mg ✅ Astaxanthin: 4 mg

Bare Biology Vim & Vigour vegan omega 3 capsules also contain astaxanthin. The antioxidant astaxanthin is said to heave meany health benefits, with links to healthier skin, heart health, reduced joint pain and increased endurance during exercise. It usually comes from fish, but just like vegan omega 3, in these supplements it comes from algae.

I found these capsules to be quite large, but they are soft and easy to swallow. They contain more omega 3 than most other brands, and each batch is independently tested to guarantee the purity.

If you’re pregnant, these aren’t for you though, as astaxanthin hasn’t been fully tested among pregnant women.

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✅ DHA: 250 mg ✅ EPA: 3 mg

Hello Day vegan omega 3 capsules are nice and small with no smell or taste.

Made with microalgae, these vegan-friendly capsules contain a decent amount of DHA, but a surprisingly small amount of EPA. That said, you do only need to take one per day, so that’s quite a lot of omega 3 that’s squeezed into each capsule.

These capsules contain carrageenan, a type of seaweed that’s been linked to digestive problems, so that’s something you’ll want to consider.

I’m also not a big fan of the packaging. The cardboard box is great, but inside there are blister packs which are very difficult to recycle unless you drop them off somewhere like a pharmacy that offers a recycling service.

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✅ SDA: 95 mg ✅ ALA: 234 mg ✅ GLA: 25 mg ✅ LA: 50 mg ✅ Oleic Acid: 33 mg

If you don’t have the budget for the Performance Lab omega 3, the next best option would be Protein Works Vegan Omega 3:6:9 Ahiflower Oil.

More than just an omega 3 supplement, these capsules contain ahiflower oil, a 100% plant-based oil which is a great source of both omega 3 and omega 6. The capsules also contain oleic acid – a source of omega 9. The values given above are based on one tablet, although you can take two per day if you prefer.

So, is Omega 3:6:9 better than Omega 3? Well, that depends on your diet. Most vegans get enough omega 6 and omega 9 from olive oil, other vegetable oils and nuts. For most people, supplementing omega 6 and 9 isn’t necessary, but it may give you added peace of mind.

Another big difference with these supplements from The Protein Works is that they do not contain any DHA or EPA marine oils. Instead, they use ALA and SDA from plants. Unlike other plant-based omega 3s, Stearidonic acid (SDA) is converted to EPA very efficiently, particularly in vegans and vegetarians.

The Protein Works’ Omega 3:6:9 capsules are the smallest of all the capsules I’ve seen. They’re also completely tasteless and odourless.

Tip: Time your purchase with a sale and use the discount code below to get the best price.

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✅ DHA: 80mg ✅ Vitamin E: 8mg (67% NRV)

If you prefer chewable supplements to anything that you have to swallow whole, then Vegums are the best vegan omega 3 gummies. Shaped like Haribo bears and with a delicious orange flavour, these vegan gummies taste absolutely delicious!

These vitamins come in plastic-free bags that are made from biodegradable cornstarch inside a funky cardboard tube. You’ll also get a handy metal tin free with your first order.

Vegums omega 3 gummies are suitable for vegans, vegetarians and omnivore adults, as well as kids aged three and over. Kids can take one, where adults should take two per day.

I love that these gummies include added vitamin E to give your immune system a boost. I just wish that they had a higher dose of DHA and also perhaps some EPA as capsules do.

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✅ DHA: 250 mg ✅ EPA: 125 mg

MyVegan Omega is another algae-based omega 3 supplement that uses life’s™ OMEGA 60, although in lower amounts than the leading brand, Performance Lab.

The bottle specifies that you only need to take one per day, whereas other supplements require two. Yet these have less than half of the omega 3 per dose.

A very important thing to consider with MyVegan Omega 3 is that the capsule shell is made with carrageenan. This food additive has been linked to digestive problems, IBS, colitis and colon cancer. [Source]

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✅ DHA: 600 mg ✅ EPA: 300 mg

Available to buy on Amazon for a low price, Nutravita vegan omega 3 softgels are good for anyone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on supplements.

The directions say to take two per day, which will give you a good amount of omega 3, equivalent to the top brand in this list.

Again, this product contains carrageenan, a type of seaweed that is used as an alternative to gelatine for vegan capsules. You’ll need to do research to make up your own mind about whether this is a substance that you’re happy to consume or not.

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✅ DHA: 534 mg ✅ EPA: 324 mg ✅ Vitamin D3: 5 mcg (100% NRV)

Vegetology’s Opti3 formula contains a decent amount of omega 3 plus added plant-sourced Vitamin D, something that vegans are often deficient in.

While the bottle looks like plastic, it’s actually a CO2 neutral eco-plastic that’s made from sugar cane. It can be recycled, but if it’s not then it will biodegrade into pure water within ten years.

Again, these capsules contain the much-debated but often included additive carrageenan, which some people choose to avoid.

Omega 3: The Science

You might be interested to learn why it’s so hard for vegans and vegetarians to get enough omega 3, even if we consume lots of omega 3-rich foods. Well, here’s why…

The different types of omega 3

There are three types of omega 3: Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA is found mostly in plants, whereas EPA and DHA are found mostly in animals like fish.

ALA needs to be converted into EPA or DHA before it can be used by our bodies. Unfortunately, this conversion process is very inefficient in humans. Only a small percentage of the ALA that we consume is actually converted into the type of omega 3 that our bodies can use [Source].

Sources of plant-based omega 3

Omega 3 fats are most commonly found in oily fish like kippers, trout, herring and sardines. That’s why the NHS recommends that people eat at least two portions of fish per week.

As vegans and vegetarians do not eat fish, it’s important to consume omega 3 either from plant-based sources or from supplements.

As omega 3 is rarely included in vegan multivitamins, you’ll need a separate supplement if you struggle to get enough from the food that you eat.

Suggested read: Are fish animals or not?

How much omega 3 does a vegan need?

It’s recommended that adults consume around 500mg of DHA and EPA omega 3 fats each day. As vegans do not eat fish, they should aim to eat more plant foods that are rich in omega 3. Alternatively, the required 500mg of omega 3 could be consumed with the help of supplements. [Sources: 1, 2]

Because the conversion from ALA to EPA and DHA is so inefficient, we need to consume an awful lot of ALA to ensure that we get enough EPA and DHA fatty acids to keep us healthy.

For example, a serving of seven walnuts contains 2.5g of ALA. But as only 5% of this is successfully converted to EPA and DHA by our bodies, that will result in only 125mg of usable omega 3. We would need to eat 28 walnuts (containing 740 calories) to hit our daily omega 3 goals.

How to get enough omega 3 as a vegan

While fish oil is the most common source of EPA and DHA, it’s possible for vegans to consume EPA and DHA directly through algal oil, which is vegan-friendly.

Algal oil is made from certain types of microalgae. Usually, fish eat these tiny organisms and convert them into essential fatty acids that are stored in their bodies. When humans consume algal oil in a capsule form, fish don’t need to be involved.

The easiest and safest way to consume microalgae is by choosing a good algae omega 3 supplement.

How to know if you’re deficient in omega 3

Most people in the UK are deficient in omega 3 to varying degrees. If you suffer from low mood, tiredness, joint pain and stiffness, dry skin, hair breakage and weak nails then the signs point to an omega 3 deficiency.

The only way to know for sure how deficient you are in omega 3 is to take a test. You can buy omega 3 deficiency tests online. The test involves a simple finger prick sample which you take at home and post to a laboratory.

FAQs about vegan omega 3

What is omega 3 and why do we need it?

Omega 3 fatty acids, also known as omega 3 oils, are polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are widely found in nature and play an important role in the human diet.

What are the symptoms of omega 3 deficiency?

The main signs and symptoms of an omega 3 deficiency include:

• Skin irritation and dryness
• Low mood, tiredness and depression
• Dry eyes
• Joint pain and stiffness
• Hair loss and breakage
• Thin, peeling nails

[Source]

How common is omega 3 deficiency?

A recent study has shown that 96% of adults do not get enough omega 3. These adults will have varying degrees of omega 3 deficiency. While many may show no symptoms at all, others may be at increased risk of serious illnesses such as cardiovascular disease.

Vegans and vegetarians are at an increased risk of omega 3 deficiency as they do not consume fish.

You can check the levels of omega 3 in your body with a simple finger prick test at home.

How long does it take for omega 3 to work?

Recovering from an omega 3 deficiency can take anywhere from six weeks to six months depending on the level of deficiency and how much omega 3 is consumed to combat the issue. To combat a deficiency with supplements, you should take them every day for at least three months.

Are vegan omega 3 supplements effective?

Vegan omega 3 supplements that are made from algae are just as effective as fish oil. Rather than eating fish that have consumed algae, we can consume that same type of algae ourselves in capsule form.

Some vegan omega 3 supplements are made from seeds such as chia and hemp. These aren’t as effective as algae-based vegan omega 3 as they don’t contain the full range of essential fatty acids.

Is vegan omega 3 as good a fish oil?

Vegan-friendly algae omega 3 is better than fish oil. It contains all of the same nutrients, but without the pollutants, fishy aftertaste and damage to our oceans.

The NHS recommends that girls and women of childbearing age eat no more than two portions of oily fish per week. This is because the pollutants from the ocean can build up in our bodies and may affect the development of babies in the womb. There is no such problem with vegan omega 3 oil.

When is best to take omega 3?

Omega 3 supplements should ideally be taken with food. This will maximise the absorption into the body. If you struggle with sore joints, taking omega 3 in the evening could make it easier to get out of bed in the morning.

What is the best vegan omega 3 supplement?

The best vegan and vegetarian-friendly omega 3 supplement is Performance Lab omega 3. These high-quality capsules contain the right dose of omega 3 to supplement a fish-free diet while being easy to swallow and with no smell or aftertaste.

If you can’t afford to shell out for the best omega 3, then Dr Vegan offers an affordable solution that also comes with a free pill tin.

If you prefer chewable omega 3 gummies, then the bear-shaped Vegums have a fantastic orange taste. They’re sure to be a hit with children and are great for adults that may struggle with capsules too.

If you’re not sure whether your diet is providing you with enough omega 3 or not and want to check, you can do so with an omega 3 finger prick test kit at home.

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