Nordic Naturals

Nordic Naturals was born in 1995, driven by the persistence of a Norwegian. Joar Opheim, who grew up in the Arctic, went to study in California and could not find the cod liver oil he had grown up with: what was sold there was low in concentration and tasted bad. On every trip home, he would bring back bottles in his suitcase for friends, until he decided to make it himself. The company remains family-owned, with no external shareholders.

What sets the brand apart

All of the company's omega-3 is presented in triglyceride form, the same form found in fish, rather than in ethyl esters, which are cheaper to produce. Each batch has a Certificate of Analysis verified by independent laboratories, which anyone can consult on the brand's website using the batch number on their packaging: potency, purity regarding PCBs and heavy metals, oxidation values, and absence of GMOs. It is also because of oxidation that the brand talks so much about freshness: an oxidized oil tastes bad and loses quality.

How to read the range

Omega-3 is the base formula. Ultimate Omega, Ultimate Omega 2X, EPA-Xtra, and DHA-Xtra increase the concentration or target it towards either EPA or DHA. There are lines for different life stages, such as Children's DHA and Prenatal DHA, and Algae Omega, made from microalgae, for those who do not want fish products.

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Nordic Naturals in five points

This is a single-subject brand: omega-3. Understanding where it came from helps you choose between the various concentrations and formats on this page.

1. It started with a suitcase full of bottles

Joar Opheim, raised in the Norwegian Arctic, went to California to get an MBA and couldn't find the cod liver oil he was used to: what was available was low in concentration and tasted bad. On every trip home, he brought bottles in his suitcase for his friends. The company was born from this in 1995.

2. The triglyceride form

The brand keeps the omega-3 in the same chemical form as it exists in fish, instead of the ethyl esters that result from the concentration process and are cheaper to produce. It is a manufacturing choice applied across the entire range.

3. Certificate of Analysis per batch

Each batch has a Certificate of Analysisverified by independent laboratories, which you can consult by entering your pack's batch number on the brand's website. It covers potency, purity (PCBs and heavy metals), freshness, and absence of GMOs.

4. The obsession with freshness

Fish oils oxidize, and an oxidized oil tastes bad. Nordic Naturals measures the oxidation levels of each batch and keeps them below international limits. At home, keep liquids in the refrigerator after opening.

5. How to read the range

  • Omega-3: the base formula, in capsules and liquid.
  • Ultimate Omega, Ultimate Omega 2X, EPA-Xtra and DHA-Xtra: higher concentrations or directed towards EPA or DHA.
  • Baby's DHA, Children's DHA and Prenatal DHA: lines by life stage.
  • Algae Omega: from microalgae, fish-free.

Perguntas frequentes

Quem é a Nordic Naturals?
Foi fundada em 1995 por Joar Opheim, norueguês criado no Ártico, que foi estudar para a Califórnia e não encontrou lá o óleo de fígado de bacalhau a que estava habituado: o que havia era pouco concentrado e sabia mal. Começou por trazer garrafas da Noruega na mala para os amigos, e acabou por criar a empresa. Continua a ser uma empresa familiar, sem acionistas externos.
O que é o Certificado de Análise por lote?
É um documento por lote, verificado por laboratórios independentes, que a marca disponibiliza a qualquer pessoa: basta introduzir o número de lote da embalagem no site da Nordic Naturals. Cobre quatro pontos: potência (os valores do rótulo), pureza (PCB e metais pesados), frescura (valores de oxidação) e ausência de OGM.
O que significa «forma de triglicéridos» nesta marca?
Que o ómega 3 se apresenta na mesma forma química em que existe no peixe, em vez de ésteres etílicos, que resultam do processo de concentração e são mais baratos de produzir. É uma opção de fabrico que a Nordic Naturals mantém em toda a gama e que a distingue de muitas marcas.
Como está organizada a gama?
Por concentração e por público. O Omega-3 é a fórmula base e o Ultimate Omega, o Ultimate Omega 2X e o EPA-Xtra têm concentrações mais altas. Depois há linhas por fase da vida, como o Baby's DHA, o DHA Infantil e o Prenatal DHA, e ainda o Algae Omega, de microalgas, para quem não quer produtos de peixe.
Porque é que a marca fala tanto de frescura?
Porque os óleos de peixe oxidam, e um óleo oxidado sabe mal e perde qualidade. A Nordic Naturals mede os valores de oxidação de cada lote e mantém-nos abaixo dos limites internacionais. Em casa, guarde os líquidos no frigorífico depois de abertos e respeite o prazo indicado no rótulo.
Quem deve ter cuidado com estes produtos?
Quem tem alergia a peixe ou marisco deve confirmar a origem de cada fórmula, e o Algae Omega é a alternativa sem peixe. Se toma anticoagulantes, vai ser operado, está grávida ou a amamentar, fale com o seu médico antes de começar. Nos produtos para bebés e crianças, respeite a idade indicada no rótulo.

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Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet or a healthy lifestyle. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your doctor before taking this supplement. Not recommended in case of hypersensitivity or allergy to any of the ingredients in the formulation, or when interactions between another product and any of its constituents are described. The recommended daily dose should not be exceeded. Keep out of the reach and sight of children. Store in a cool, dry place, away from light.