Organic Krill Oil: What’s The Truth?

According to google, one of the most popular terms people search for when they’re researching krill oil is “organic krill oil.” That makes sense – most of the time “organic” means better quality and purity. And if you want a supplement like krill oil, you want to make sure it’s the best.

So, where do you find organic krill oil? Well, the truth is you can’t. It doesn’t exist.

Looks Like People Are Selling Organic Krill Oil, Doesn't It?

At this point I can imagine some of you are scratching your heads. “But Lisa,” you say, “I saw it advertised! ______ is selling organic krill oil. How can you say it doesn’t exist?”

Well, Gentle Reader (yes I stole that line, but I like it…) stick with me and we’ll explore the edges of legality, honesty, and internet marketing. And along the way we’ll learn a thing or two about how to choose quality krill oil, and know that what you’re getting is pure and healthy. Ready? Cool. Off we go!

Why Organic Krill Oil Doesn’t Exist

The USDA is the governing body in America that sets the standards for what can and cannot be labeled “organic.” This is handled by their subsidiary, the National Organic Program.

NOP regulations state that in order to be labeled organic, a product must have been raised in an environment in which it’s entire life cycle can be monitored and it’s diet and conditions can be proven free from chemical contaminants. There is simply no way to do that with any wild-caught seafood.

Within the last couple of years, there has been a move to label farmed fish organic. But even that has had its share of controversy. So it’s highly unlikely that any wild-caught form of seafood will ever be allowed to use the term “organic.”

So Aren’t The “Organic Krill Oil” Sellers
In The Picture AboveBreaking The Law?

You’d think so. When you look at those ads, it sure seems that you’re being led to a site that’s selling organic krill oil, doesn’t it?

But technically, they aren’t claiming that. None of them state on their websites that the product they’re offering you is organic. They would say that all they’re doing is using a headline to an ad that reflects what you’re searching for. So while those ads are all technically legal, I’ll let you decide whether or not you think they’re misleading. I know what I think…

The Bottom Line: Krill Oil Isn’t Organic,
But It Is Pretty Darn Clean

The krill oil that is harvested for human use live in the pristine waters off Antarctica. They eat algae that forms on the bottom of the sea ice. And since they’re at the bottom of the food chain the typical ocean toxins, such as mercury, that accumulate in larger fish (from eating other fish that contain toxins) do not accumulate in krill.

Once it’s harvested (by some pretty heavily-regulated processes which ensure krill sustainability), krill oil is extracted by a process very similar to the one that extracts oil from olives or soybeans. Any such extraction process requires the use of chemicals. However, those chemicals do not remain with the processed oil except in extremely minute amounts.

Quality Krill oil is one of the purest, cleanest substances you can get.

So if you’re looking for a quality krill oil supplement, you can’t go by the term “organic.” (Unless you want to consider the possibility that anyone making such a dishonest association might be less than honest in other areas of their business. Just saying.) So how DO you determine whether or not a krill oil supplement is good quality?

You’ll have to look at the label. Here’s what you’re looking for:

  1. Total serving size. You want a 1,000 MG serving size, most of the time that will mean 2 500 MG capsules.
  2. Omega-3 content. This is why krill oil is good for you. You want to see at least 300MG of Omega-3 in a 1,000 MG serving.
  3. EPA/ DHA content. These are the specific Omega-3’s that deliver the health benefits of krill oil. You want 160MG EPA and 90MG DHA in your 300 MG of Omega-3.
  4. Phospholipid content. The reason krill oil is better than fish oil is the Omega-3’s are mostly in phospholipid form. You want to see 420MG of phospholipids.
  5. Astaxanthin content. This is the amazing antioxidant that really sets krill oil apart. At minimum you want 1.5 MG of astaxanthin in a 1,000 MG serving.

RagTagResearchGeeks does recommend one Krill Oil supplement that meets – and in one case even exceeds – the above criteria. Find out about what we believe is the best Krill Oil Supplement on the market here.

Leave a Reply