Sri Lanka’s Ocean Legacy: Rediscovering Omega-3 Through Culture, Not Clinics
It has quietly crept into our culture, this idea that if you want to be healthy, you must take a daily fish oil capsule. From urban supermarkets in Colombo to tiny pharmacies in rural towns, omega-3 supplements are sold like daily necessities. But are they actually helping us?
Science says not really.
A recent report published on March 21, 2025, by National Geographic reveals that while omega-3s are indeed essential to human health, the widely held belief that fish oil supplements provide the same benefits as whole foods is increasingly being challenged by science.
“While omega-3 supplements are helpful for people with certain heart conditions, experts say their benefits remain largely unproven for most people.”
-National Geographic, March 2025
The Real Omega-3 Power Is in Food, Not Pills
Omega-3s like EPA and DHA reduce inflammation, lower blood triglycerides, and support brain and heart function. But here’s the critical catch: these benefits are significantly more effective when omega-3s are consumed through real food—especially oily fish—not through isolated oil capsules.
“There’s a difference in the chemical structure of the fat in whole fish versus extracted fish oil,” says Dr. Daniel Monti, a professor of integrative medicine at Thomas Jefferson University.
“The manufacturing process can degrade the quality of nutrients in supplements and can even introduce worrisome contaminants,” the report warns.
Sri Lanka Has What the World Is Searching For
While the rest of the world struggles to access natural omega-3-rich foods, Sri Lanka is blessed with some of the best sources:
- Salaya (sardines)
- Keeriya (mackerel)
- Balaya (tuna)
- Handella (anchovies)
- Thora (seer fish)
Add to that our traditional plant-based options like flaxseed, chia, hemp seeds, walnuts, and omega-3-enriched eggs. Sri Lanka doesn’t need to import health. We already have it. What we need is better awareness.
Supplements: A Risky Shortcut Masquerading as Science
The global omega-3 supplement market is valued at 8.3 billion dollars, a figure that should make anyone question whether marketing is outpacing the science.
“A lot of people became obsessed with fish oil about two decades back because there was some compelling data… but this data has since been largely refuted,”
says cardiologist Dr. Andrew Freeman.
The truth is, for most healthy people, fish oil capsules provide no measurable cardiovascular benefit. Worse, overuse may even carry risks due to oxidation and contaminants in poorly manufactured products.
Food First. Supplements Last.
Dr. JoAnn Manson of Harvard Medical School puts it bluntly:
“We know it’s preferable to increase omega-3 intake from foods rather than from supplements.”
So why are Sri Lankans ignoring this? Why are we abandoning our native food sources in favor of imported soft gels?
This is more than a health issue. It’s a cultural crisis of confidence. We are sidelining our traditional diets for flashy packaging and foreign trends, believing that wellness must come from a bottle.
A National Wake-Up Call
Let this be a reminder:
Sri Lankans don’t need omega-3 pills. We need to return to our own natural food sources.
Supplements are not inherently evil, but they are not a substitute for a balanced, local diet.
Our elders were healthier for a reason. They ate fish, not fish oil.
So before you buy another capsule, ask yourself:
Is this truly necessary, or am I just another victim of a global wellness trend?
Let’s reclaim our health the Sri Lankan way – fresh, natural, and culturally rooted.
