Menhaden Fish Oil
Our ingredient score: 5 / 5 · Fish or algae oil · How We Score
Menhaden is a small, oily fish from the Atlantic Ocean, and it is one of the species most widely used around the world to make fish oil. The oil is rich in the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Studies link EPA and DHA to skin, coat and joint effects in cats. Because menhaden is a small fish that lives a short life, its mercury buildup is low. The label names the fish, so you know where the oil comes from. On labels it is often followed by the preservative used to keep the oil from going rancid, such as mixed tocopherols.
Common Questions
Why does menhaden fish oil say preserved with mixed tocopherols?
Fish oil goes rancid quickly. Mixed tocopherols are a natural form of vitamin E added to slow that down.
Is menhaden fish oil safe for cats?
Menhaden fish oil comes from menhaden, small oily fish of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico that are caught mainly for oil and fishmeal. It supplies the omega-3s EPA and DHA. Tufts veterinary nutritionists warn that too much or too little of either omega-3 or omega-6 fats can have adverse effects. If your cat has a medical condition, ask your veterinarian about its diet.
Source: sites.tufts.edu
What is menhaden in cat food?
Menhaden is a small, bony, oily fish that people rarely eat directly. Most of the catch is processed into fish oil and fishmeal. In cat food, menhaden fish oil adds the omega-3s EPA and DHA along with fat calories. The label names the species, which tells you more about the source than a plain fish oil does.
Is menhaden fish oil the same as fish oil?
Menhaden fish oil is a fish oil with the species named. A label that says only fish oil could contain menhaden or another fish, and you cannot tell which from the ingredient list. Naming the fish helps owners who track ingredients closely, for example on a diet that avoids certain species, and it makes the source easier to compare between foods.
Is menhaden high in mercury?
Menhaden is not on the FDA and EPA fish advice chart, so that chart does not rate it. The chart groups fish into Best Choices, Good Choices and Choices to Avoid by mercury level. Pettings notes that menhaden are short-lived fish that feed by filtering plankton, and that mercury tends to build up most in large, long-lived predatory fish.
Source: fda.gov
How does Pettings score menhaden fish oil?
Pettings gives menhaden fish oil 5 out of 5 and lists it as a fish or algae oil. It appears on 1 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. That score rates the ingredient by itself, and each food's page shows how the full recipe scores overall.
How Foods With Menhaden Fish Oil Compare
Menhaden Fish Oil is on the label of 1 of the 149 dry cat foods we list.