There's no reason why you couldn't eat sardines, but you'd have to get your Omega 3s through more than a once/week can of sardines. Keep your menus full of fatty fish if you don't want to supplement, most people just prefer to take a supplement to make it a bit easier. We used to get plenty of EFAs in organ meats back when animals used to eat grass instead of grains and humans weren't so picky about what they ate. It's not that EFA capsules just became trendy. They became a necessity borne by modernization.

EFAs can't be made by the body so there's no choice in the matter. It's like telling people that they only need to eat protein once a week.

It'sthewoo, here are some good links below - the last 2 are research-based pharmaceutical grade supplement companies that publish research. Unfortunately poor grade supplement companies give reputable companies like them a bad name. I have several books at home that I reference when I want research as well.

Nat has a sticky under the Nutrition & Supplement forum as well if you want to check it out.

Omega 3 Fish Oil
Advanced Orthomolecular Research
Life Extension Foundation

As Liz says, supplements are best for those with health concerns. Myself, I went to a nutritionally oriented doctor who did tests to determine what supplements I needed. If there's a criticism, that's it. How do people know what supplements they need without being tested? Of course, that criticism doesn't apply to antioxidants. If you can afford them, they're well worth it.

Wanda

edit --- BTW, it's ironic that "snake oil" came up. As it is, snake oil was vindicated by Udo Erasmus in his book "Fats that Heal/Fats that Kill. Vindication of Snake Oil