I want to go vegeterian but i've heard that it is important to eat fish on a regular basis. As a result I am wondering how I can get the nutrients you would normally get from eating fish. Also is this actually reccomendation true or is it similar to the dairy conspiracy.
Flaxseed oil provides a good quantity of short-chain Omega-3 fatty acids (which are an essential fatty acid), which I believe is the key reason for fish consumption recommendations. However, the human body is rubbish at converting this to the long-chain Omega-3 fatty acid DHA (and to a lesser, but not much lesser, extent EPA), both of which are found in high quantities in fish (see
http://www.foodsforlife.org.uk/nutrition/conversion-LNA-DHA-EPA.html).
EPA is an intermediate step in the conversion from ALA to DHA (
http://www.dhaomega3.org/Overview/Conversion-Efficiency-of-ALA-to-DHA-in-Humans), and with the correct dietary balance sufficient ALA can be obtained (don't eat too much omega-6 short-chain; it'll screw with the conversion).
Various shops sell vegan (algae-based) omega-3 supplements:
http://www.v-pure.com/
http://www.opti3omega.com/
Mind you, I don't know how these are manufactured, nor whether the algae itself is GM. If it is though, that's awesome - technology win!
There seem to be several consequences of insufficient long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids. First, Omega-6 long-chain will substitute in the brain for Omega-3 when insufficient Omega-3 is available, and high omega-6 levels in the brain have been associated with higher rates of depression (and other things, from memory). Insufficient Omega-3 may also lead to heart and vascular problems.
The short version - if your protein and omega-3 long-chain intake is sufficient (particularly the latter, which you will almost certainly need to supplement unless you eat a lot of weird sea vegetables) you should be ok.
