What is "enteric coating" and why should I care?

We recently had a customer ask us what "enteric coating" means. It's a good question and once you understand it, you may seek it out next time you purchase something like fish oil.

Enteric coating is an additional barrier that is put onto a capsule, soft gel or tablet to prevent it from dissolving until it passes through the stomach. Many supplements (or drugs) can rapidly degrade in the stomach’s acidic environment.

We selected an enteric coated soft gel for our Sustainable & Wild Omega-3 Fish Oil soft gel capsule for a couple of reasons. One is that many people do not like taking fish oil capsules because they have a “fishy” taste or odor.  Since our fish oil soft gel is enteric coated, you are much less likely to taste it since it dissolves further down the digestive system when compared to a basic fish oil capsules. Perhaps a more important reason for choosing an enteric coated fish oil capsule is that it allows more of the nutrients to be absorbed in the small intestine.

Enteric coated capsules generally cost more that those that are not coated because it involves an additional step in the capsule manufacturing process. You should be able to tell if a fish oil capsule is enteric coated by taking a close look at it.  The image below shows both a basic fish oil soft gel (on the left) and  an enteric coated soft gel. 

 
We placed two fish oil capsules on a white paper towel with a design. When looking at the basic fish oil capsule on the left, you can more clearly see through the capsule. The enteric coated capsule (the one the right and found in Planet 3 Vitamin Packs) has a slight haze on the outside.  This haze is the extra  barrier that is added to the outside of the capsule. This barrier slows the dissolving process, allowing  more of it to dissolve further down the digestive system. This is an important benefit when trying to decide which omega-3 fish oil is right for you. 

One thing that you can not see that makes our enteric coated fish oil capsule just a little bit better, is that a lemon flavor has been added. This further reduces any unpleasant issue you may have if you happen to have any “burping” issues. Recently a customer commented that they "didn't like fish and that they had always been wary of taking fish oil capsules because they didn't like the smell or taste."  The customer went on to say that our enteric coated fish oil was a pleasant surprise and different from ones she'd tried in the past. 

Lastly, we only have one planet (earth, the third planet from the sun) so we selected a fish oil that comes from a wild & sustainable ocean source. Our fish oil carries the “Certified Sustainable Seafood” seal.

According to studies, 80 percent of Americans do not eat enough fish weekly and dietary sources of Omega-3 are linked to heart health. For more info on the Mayo Clinic report and more, see our Science-Research page.

When searching for a premium omega-3 fish oil capsule, whether ours or another brand, we recommend choosing one that is enteric coated for the benefits described above.  If you're looking for a way to fill some of the gaps in your nutrition, try Planet 3 Vitamin Packs. We guarantee your satisfaction.