My diet:

Algal oil

No E-numberFats & oilsOrigin: Plant
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Every diet

VeganYes
Gluten-freeYes
HalalYes
KosherYes
KetoYes

It is almost pure fat.

Low-FODMAPYes
The short answer
Algal oil is omega-3 from microalgae grown in a tank, and it is the plant-based stand-in for fish oil. It is safe, vegan and gluten-free, and it supplies the DHA that most plant omega-3 sources do not.
Generally safe

Fine for most people at normal amounts.

E-numberNone
Comes fromPlant
What it doesFats & oils
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledAlgal oil, Algae oil

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive
🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive
🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Algal oil is a food rather than an additive with an E-number, so none of the three regulators has evaluated it as an additive. The EU treats algal DHA as a novel food, which means it went through a separate safety assessment before it could be sold, and the same oil has a Generally Recognized as Safe determination in the United States.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

The oil is dominated by DHA, with a smaller share of EPA depending on the strain and the product. Most of it is sold in capsules holding half a gram to a gram of oil, which at 40 to 50 percent DHA give 200 to 500 milligrams of DHA, which is the amount EFSA treats as a day's adequate intake for adults. Some versions also carry carotenoids from the algae, which gives them a faint green or orange tint in the bottle.

Where it comes from: Pressed or extracted from microalgae grown in a closed tank, not from the sea. The algae are fed light and nutrients in a fermenter, and the oil is harvested from the biomass, which is why it is the main plant source of DHA and EPA.

Why it’s in food

  • Plant-based omega-3 capsules
  • Infant formula fortification
  • Vegan supplement blends
  • Enriched plant milks

Often found in

Algal oil capsulesInfant formulaVegan omega-3 supplementsFortified plant milksAlgal oil spreads

Also listed as: Algal oil, Algae oil, DHA oil from algae, Marine algae oil, Algal omega-3

Health & gut impact

DHA in pregnancyBenefit

DHA is the long-chain omega-3 that the brain and the eye are built from. EFSA sets an adequate intake of 250 mg a day of DHA and EPA for adults, and in pregnancy the same amount plus an extra 100 to 200 mg of DHA, and algal oil supplies it in a capsule rather than a weekly fish.

EFSA, dietary reference values for omega-3 fatty acids

Fatty acid profileBenefit

Unlike flaxseed oil, algal oil supplies DHA and EPA directly rather than the plant version of the chain, so the body does not have to convert it. Most of it is 40 to 50 percent DHA, which makes it the closest plant match to the oil in a fish.

EFSA, dietary reference values for omega-3 fatty acids

Shellfish and algaeUnder study

A shellfish allergy is a reaction to shellfish proteins, and algae are not shellfish, so the two are unrelated. A small number of people do react to algae or seaweed directly, which is a separate allergy worth mentioning to a doctor.

NHS, allergies and anaphylaxis

What can I use instead?

Fish oil

Ratio: One for one in a supplement

Best for: Swapping if you eat fish and want the same numbers

Flaxseed oil

Ratio: A spoonful in food rather than a capsule

Best for: Plant omega-3 when you are not short of DHA

Chia seeds

Ratio: A tablespoon on breakfast food

Best for: Plant omega-3 and fibre in the same spoon

Related

More fats & oils:

Avocado oilAvocado oil is usually pressed from the avocado pit, so it tastes neutral rather than like avocado. It is safe, high in monounsaturated fat, and its high smoke point makes it one of the better oils for hot cooking.Generally safeBeef tallowBeef tallow is cattle fat. It is not vegan. It is gluten-free and used for high-heat frying. Halal and kosher versions exist only when the animal and the plant are certified.Use in moderationButterButter is a dairy fat. It is not vegan. It is gluten-free, and a normal pat is low enough in lactose that many low-FODMAP plans allow it. Peanut butter and cocoa butter are not this food.Use in moderationCanola oilCanola oil is a neutral cooking oil from low-erucic rapeseed. Canola oil is vegan and gluten-free. The old worry about erucic acid applies to industrial rapeseed, not to the canola sold as food.Generally safe

Common questions

Is algal oil the same as fish oil?

It is the same omega-3s from a different source. Fish oil supplies DHA and EPA from fish; algal oil supplies them from microalgae, which makes it the vegan answer to the same question.

Does algal oil taste like fish?

Not usually. Refined algal oil is nearly tasteless, and the colour and the aroma are removed along with the fishy notes. Cold-pressed versions can taste faintly of the algae.

Is it safe if I am allergic to shellfish?

Nothing in the algae is related to the shellfish proteins, so a shellfish allergy on its own does not rule it out. If you have reacted to seaweed or kelp before, mention that to a doctor, because it is a separate and less common allergy.

Is algal oil better than fish oil?

They are nutritionally close, and algal oil wins on purity because it never picks up mercury from the ocean. Fish oil wins on cost and on the amount of EPA in a serving.

Is Algal oil safe?

Generally safe (88/100). Algal oil is a food rather than an additive with an E-number, so none of the three regulators has evaluated it as an additive. The EU treats algal DHA as a novel food, which means it went through a separate safety assessment before it could be sold, and the same oil has a Generally Recognized as Safe determination in the United States.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • EFSA, dietary reference values for omega-3 fatty acids
  • NHS, allergies and anaphylaxis