The Omega Principle

Seafood and the Quest for a Long Life and a Healthier Planet

By: Paul Greenberg

Narrated by: Paul Greenberg

Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

By the best-selling author of Four Fish and American Catch, an eye-opening investigation of the history, science, and business behind omega-3 fatty acids, the "miracle compound" whose story is intertwined with human health and the future of our planet

Omega-3 fatty acids have long been celebrated by doctors and dieticians as key to a healthy heart and a sharper brain. In the last few decades, that promise has been encapsulated in one of America's most popular dietary supplements. Omega-3s are today a multi-billion dollar business, and sales are still growing apace - even as recent medical studies caution that the promise of omega-3s may not be what it first appeared.

But a closer look at the omega-3 sensation reveals something much deeper and more troubling. The miracle pill is only the latest product of the reduction industry, a vast, global endeavor that over the last century has boiled down trillions of pounds of marine life into animal feed, fertilizer, margarine, and dietary supplements. The creatures that are the victims of that industry seem insignificant to the untrained eye but turn out to be essential to the survival of whales, penguins, and fish of all kinds, including many that we love to eat.

Behind these tiny molecules is a big story: of the push-and-pull of science and business; of the fate of our oceans in a human-dominated age; of the explosion of land food at the expense of healthier and more sustainable seafood; of the human quest for health and long life at all costs. James Beard Award-winning author Paul Greenberg probes the rich and surprising history of omega-3s - from the dawn of complex life, when these compounds were first formed to human prehistory, when the discovery of seafood may have produced major cognitive leaps for our species; and on to the modern era, when omega-3s may point the way to a bold new direction for our food system. With wit and boundless curiosity, Greenberg brings us along on his travels - from Peru to Antarctica, from the Canary Islands to the Amalfi Coast - to reveal firsthand the practice and repercussions of our unbalanced way of eating.

Rigorously reported and winningly told, The Omega Principle is a powerful argument for a more deliberate and forward-thinking relationship to the food we eat and the oceans that sustain us.

Contains a PDF of recipes that maximize Omega-3 content.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 Paul Greenberg (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Greenberg’s narrative maneuvers the world of omega-3 fatty acids with a healthy dose of skepticism and a mission to uncover truth that lies under the waves. . . . Greenberg gives us science writing with heart.” (Sierra magazine)

“Popular writers often extol the benefits of omega-3s. Greenberg reviews the shaky evidence and delivers a penetrating analysis of its science, business, and future. . . . Greenberg also includes specifics of a healthy, life-extending diet; it requires omega-3s - but not in pill form. . . . An expert review of the human exploitation of marine life.” (Kirkus)

“The angles for looking at omega-3s are many. The Omega Principle is a welcome one-stop shop, evaluating the science underlying its status as nutritional darling, the massive supplement industry behind it, and the fragile ecosystems propping that industry up. If you take fish oil, eat fish, or follow the arrow of conventional nutritional science, this is a topic you owe it to yourself to research. . . . Greenberg’s conversational writing style makes his books anything but an academic exercise.” (Medium)

OMG Omega - loved this book.

It’s the right balance between story-telling and science. I definitely had to go back a few times and re-listen to some of the more technical parts, very educational. A good read too.

Solution Focused

A terrific prescription for both our health as well as the planet. I wasn't expecting the book to cover as broad an area as it did.

it's ok, little bit of knownledge

struggled to finish. it's not bad, but can't stay focused and interested, kinda slow. content is kinda good. got what I wanted, high quality omega3 supplements are not bad

Very glad that I purchased this selection.

The Omega Principle is well organized and loaded with information and still written in a way that makes it enjoyable.
I learned more than I expected from this book. Not only about Omega 3s but also about the fishing industry, economic pressures and ecological balance.
The narration is excellent.
Highly recommend.
I'm looking forward to listening to some of Paul Greenberg's other titles.

Opinionated

Climate change. Doom and gloom about phytoplankton. Evolution.

I don’t care about that. Tell me why omega 3 is or isn’t healthy and why. He said phytoplankton a basic thing had 4x as many genes as humans. If evolution is true, why is that?