Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that our bodies need for vital functions, but the body doesn’t naturally create Omega-3s, and therefore, they must be ingested through our diets. While eating fatty fishes like salmon can help provide these nutrients, most Western diets do not include enough Omega-3 rich foods, which means we often consume far less of it through diet than we need. This is where nutrient-rich supplements, like krill oil, can help make up the difference.

So, krill oil is full of essential nutrients, but what exactly is krill oil, and for that matter, what are krill?

Swimming in droves throughout the waters surrounding Antarctica, these tiny, plankton-sized crustaceans play a large role in the survival of our ecosystems. They are considered one of the most abundant species of animal on the planet and have more than a few quirks.

Read on to learn about five reasons why krill are essential to the health of our planet and can be a super source of Omega-3 nutrients for a healthier you.

Krill is one of the largest biomasses on the planet and the abundance of krill in the Southern Ocean provides an essential food source for several species of animal including penguins, fish, and birds, to name a few. In fact, Adélie and Chinstrap penguins get almost all of their calories solely from eating krill.

For krill, their main source of food comes from phytoplankton, which are micro-sized plants located in the upper region of ocean waters. However, in winter, these krill turn to algae grown underneath sea ice to feed on for the season.

The eating of algae by the krill helps fuel the biological cycling of nutrients in the Southern Ocean. The algae absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. So, when krill consume the algae, they recycle that carbon dioxide into energy and then swim to the bottom of the ocean during the day time, excreting the waste as they go. Their waste, therefore, transfers massive amounts of carbon deep into the ocean and out of the atmosphere.

Krill are not only consumed by their underwater counterparts, but by those here on the surface. In places like Russia and Japan, krill have slowly been incorporated into their diets as a source of nutrition. In Japan, people prepare krill in a similar fashion to shrimp, and in Norwegian cuisine, krill are sometimes ground up and turned into a paste.

But for those that don’t get enough Omega-3s through diet alone, supplements might be a good solution for you.

Omega-3s contribute a range of benefits for the human body, including maintaining healthy brain and vision function. And while studies are still ongoing, current research suggests these Omega-3s are useful in supporting heart health, vision health, and healthy skin.

While supplements are meant to complement a healthy diet, the best source of Omega-3s remains fatty fish like salmon and other seafood.

Omega-3-rich foods include fish such as mackerel and tuna, nuts and seeds such as walnuts and chia seeds. Foods like yogurt and eggs also contain some Omega-3 fatty acids. Vegetarian options primarily deliver Omega-3 ALA which the body converts into EPA and DHA but at a very inefficient rate. It’s also important to note that the plant-based options often do not provide enough of the recommended daily levels of Omega-3s on their own.

The Aker BioMarine Antarctic krill fishery is the only reduction fishery to receive an A-Rating by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) seven years running. It was awarded this rating as a well-run fishery, which is the gold standard for the healthy and safe extraction of krill oil without doing damage to the ecosystem. Aker BioMarine credits their success to its careful approach and strict guidelines for limiting the number of krill they harvest to keep the ecosystem in a state of equilibrium.

Kori Krill Oil is proud to source our krill from this fishery, making us a global industry leader in sustainability.

1. Krill are Bioluminescent

Krill have photophores attached to their bodies that make them capable of producing their own light. And since most krill are transparent, you can even see their digestive system from the outside.

There’s no definitive reason as to how or why they have this ability, but researchers suspect the light serves as a method of communication between krill.

2. Krill Can Survive up to 200 Days Without Food

Krill are able to survive long periods of extended starvation. In order to compensate for the lack of food, krill shrink in size to conserve energy. Krill continually enlarge, shrink, and adapt their bodies depending on environmental conditions to ensure long term survival.

Food source, abundant, vital…These are just a few words that describe the large impact that the krill have on our planet. From their role as an important part of the diet of sea animals to the nutrition they provide us in the form of krill oil supplements, krill serve as critical sources of nutrients for many life forms on Earth.

Luckily for you, you don’t have to swim the Antarctic to get the benefits of krill, we’ve got you covered right here with our krill oil supplements.

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