Omega 3 vs. Omega 7: The Key Differences for Health & Beauty

Most people are at least familiar with Omega 3 fatty acids, but in recent years we’ve begun to hear more about other fatty acids in the Omega family.

Most recently, Omega 7 fatty acids have been making waves as we’re discovering more and more about how beneficial they can be for health and even beauty. 

Each of the Omega fatty acids is a little different, and our bodies don’t utilize them all in the same ways. Omega 3 and Omega 7 are different, but they’re both important to include in your diet through nutrition and supplementation.

Omega 7 is a monounsaturated fat that belongs to the family of Omega fatty acids. There are several types of Omega 7 fatty acids, with the most widely known being palmitoleic acid and cis vaccenic.

What makes Omega 7 so unique is that the most abundant source of it in nature comes from the sea buckthorn plant, with the fleshy part of the berry and the skin being especially rich the fatty acid.

Omega 7 is behind why sea buckthorn is seen as such a beneficial ingredient and supplement for skin, hair, nails and various health benefits from healthy weight management to regulating healthy blood sugar levels. 

One of the main differences between Omega 7 and Omega 3 fatty acids is that they are not both essential fatty acids. Omega 7 is classified as a non-essential fatty acid, whereas Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid.

Does this mean that your body doesn’t need Omega 7? That’s not what it means at all.

Instead, “non-essential” is a term used to identify Omega 7 as a fatty acid that your body can synthesize from foods or other amino acids. 

On the flip side, Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid. This means it’s not making its way into your body unless you purposefully put it there, either through food or supplementation.

Another key difference between the two fatty acids is the type of benefits they offer. Omega 3 fatty acids have a notorious reputation for helping to calm inflammation while supporting cardiovascular and neurological health.

Omega 7 offers quite a few of the same benefits but is often used for beauty purposes because it does such a wonderful job of supporting the body’s largest organ – its skin.

Both Omega 3 and Omega 7 are important for various cellular functions and overall health. Making sure you’re fueling your body with foods that are rich in Omega fatty acids is one of the foundations of good health.

If you’ve kept your finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the world of health and nutrition, you’re likely already familiar with Omega 3 fatty acids and what they offer.

But Omega 7 is relatively new. It wasn’t discovered until 2008, compared to Omega 3 and 6, which were discovered in the 1920s. So, many of us aren’t familiar with Omega 7 at all.

Omega 7 offers many of the same health-protective benefits as Omega 3, but it seems to have an advantage when it comes to beauty and skincare.

• Preventing & eliminating acne
• Supports hair growth and hair health
• Improves collagen production
• Relieves inflammatory skin conditions
• Protects eye health & relieves dry eyes
• Relieves chronic joint pain
• Promotes healthy blood sugar levels
  

Omega 7 fatty acids are found naturally occurring in some foods, but the available dietary sources are not as varied as they are with Omega 3.

• Sea Buckthorn
• Avocado
• Macadamia nuts
• Anchovies

Sea buckthorn is the most potent known source of omega 7 in the world, with SIBU's exclusive T7® Sea Buckthorn reaching levels of over 50% omega 7! The closest competitor being macadamia nuts reaching on average only about 12% omega 7.

While these natural sources of Omega 7 are wonderful additions to any diet, it’s challenging to get the Omega 7 your body needs through diet alone.

For optimal benefits, Omega 7 supplementation is strongly encouraged. Keep in mind that quality and purity matter with any type of nutritional supplementation.

Omega 7 that’s sourced from sea buckthorn is notches above Omega 7 supplements that are sourced from fish. The processing from source to supplement that happens between the two is vastly different.

Omega 7 supplements that are sourced from sea buckthorn skip the chemical processes that strip many of the benefits away, whereas supplements sourced from fish or the heavily marketed "purified omega 7" (Which is anything but! You may be shocked by what you find out...) undergo so much processing that what’s left isn’t nearly as pure or potent and can leave toxic residuals in the finish product.

In short, if you want the best benefits of omega 7, whole food, unprocessed and unadulterated sea buckthorn is THE way to go.

Omega 3 doesn’t need much of an introduction. It’s a health buzzword that is seen everywhere, but don’t mistake the buzz for being a passing trend.

Omega 3 is crucially important. It’s a fat that your body needs for everything from cardiovascular health to protecting that beautiful mind of yours. Omega 3 overall seems to offer a few more health benefits but doesn’t offer as much as Omega 7 when it comes to skin care, mucous membranes, digestive linings and internal hydration.

Benefits of omega 3:

• Support healthy brain function 
• Protective against cardiovascular disease
  
• May reduce the risk of blood clots
• Protection against macular degeneration
• Supports bone and joint health

There are lots of great sources to get your Omega 3s, enough that you should be able to find enough dietary sources that work for you, even if you have a food aversion or two.

The best sources of Omega 3 fatty acids include:

• Mackerel
• Salmon
• Herring
• Cod Liver Oil
• Sardines
• Oysters
• Flax Seed
• Chia Seed
• Walnuts
• Hemp Seed

Is it better to include Omega 3 or Omega 7 in your diet? Your body needs both, and they both provide their own unique benefits so nourish yourself, your health and your beauty by making sure you’re getting plenty through both diet and supplementation as necessary.

For Omega 7 supplementation, sea buckthorn is the optimal, most pure source that offers the most benefits. SIBU Omega 7 Supplements are made with 100% pure, wild-grown, never farmed sea buckthorn directly from Mother Nature herself.