Omega-3 madness.

Are omega-3s the latest mega-trend?

You can find claims on everything from mayonnaise to margarine, eggs, cereal, milk, yogurt, cookies, frozen pizza, and (naturally) canned fish. You can even buy Iams Smart Puppy dog food with DHA ("just like babies, a puppy's ability to learn depends upon healthy brain development").

But not all omega-3s are created equal. It's largely DHA and EPA, the long-chain omega-3 fats in fish oil, that are linked to a lower risk of heart disease and possibly cancer, Alzheimer's, eye disorders, and other problems (see cover).

Yet many claims appear on foods that have ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), an omega-3 fat that may not prevent much of anything (and may raise the risk of prostate cancer). And some labels don't say which omega-3s their food contains.

Here's a sampling of tricks that can trip you up in the search for omega-3s.

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Confusing But not Concise

"Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease," says the squished print on the back of StarKist Very Low Sodium Chunk White Albacore Tuna in Water. "One serving of white tuna in water provides 0.22 grams of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids."

A snazzy claim like that can only come from the way-off-Madison-Avenue writers at the Food and Drug Administration.

Few companies use the confusing FDA-approved health claim. (Even the FDA's own studies show that it misleads consumers.)

Instead, most labels don't mention heart disease. Bumble Bee Wild Alaska Sockeye Red Salmon simply says "contains 1.0 g Omega-3 fatty acids per serving." Chicken of the Sea Pink Salmon labels say "heart healthy omega-3s." That's a "structure-or-function" claim that requires no approval because it doesn't mention a disease. (Bet you didn't notice.)

The (really) small print on Chicken's back adds that the salmon "contains 245 mg of EPA and DHA combined per serving, which is 153% of the 160 mg Daily Value for a combination of EPA and DHA." (Ignore all Daily Value claims. There are no DVs for EPA, DHA, or ALA, so companies are making up their own.)

Bottom line: Seafood is the best source of omega-3s, but levels (and serving sizes) vary. Bring your reading glasses.

Smart Marketing

Breyers is one of the first companies to add DHA to foods. And it comes from algae, not fish oil, which may appeal to vegetarians.

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But calling a yogurt "Smart!" takes chutzpah. "Boost your brain," says the front label. "DHA Omega-3 is an important brain nutrient that supports brain function and development," says the lid. "DHA also supports a healthy heart," it adds.

"Boost your brain"? Does that mean a higher IQ or SAT score? No worries about Alzheimer's? The evidence that DHA can improve memory is still very uncertain. But claims with words like "support," "maintain," or "boost" don't need evidence. Unfortunately, few people--outside of the FDA and food-industry marketers--know that.

Here's the kicker: Breyers' label doesn't say how much DHA is in Smart! Yogurt. Is that because it's so little? A 6-oz. container has just 32 mg of DHA--about as much as you'd get in 3/4 teaspoon of salmon. (And the salmon has 20 mg of EPA to boot.)

Slick Silk

Like Breyers Smart! Yogurt, Silk Soymilk Plus Omega-3 DHA has added algae (algal oil, to be precise). And Silk also makes a no-evidence-needed claim ("Helps support heart, brain & eye health").

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But Silk pulls a fast one. On one panel, the carton says "400 mg of beneficial Omega-3," implying that each cup has that much DHA. Only a few dedicated label readers will notice that Silk Plus also has flax oil, which contains ALA, the far-less-useful omegas-3, And fewer may notice the tiny type on a side panel that whispers, "contains 32 mg of DHA per serving."

Horizon Organic Lowfat Milk Plus DHA has the same 32 mg of DHA per cup--less than what's in a bite of salmon. But you'd never know that from the label, which discloses no DHA numbers at all ("because we're not required to," the company told us). Hello, FDA. Anyone home?

Eggsaggeration

Omega-3 claims are all over the egg case, from brands like Land O Lakes to Best, Gold Circle Farms, Full Spectrum Farms, Giving Nature, Safeway, and more. Clearly, producers are trying to counter the egg's reputation as a heart threat by giving their hens DHA-rich feed.

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But omega-3s don't compensate for the 210 mg of cholesterol in each large egg yolk. (That doesn't mean you can't eat eggs. Just stick to no more than four yolks a week, as the American Heart Association recommends.)

And some omega claims are misleading. Land O Lakes Omega 3 Eggs, for example, contain "350 mg of omega-3 fatty acids per serving," according to the label. Yet our independent laboratory analysis found only 150 mg of DHA plus EPA in each egg. The remaining 200 mg was less-beneficial ALA.

At least some companies are more honest. Eggland's Best promises 100 mg of omega-3 on its label. Our lab test found 130 mg of DHA plus EPA.

Our favorite trick: Full Spectrum Farms boasts that its eggs have 30 mg of omega-3s. Yet an egg from a hen dining on ordinary feed has 20 mg of DHA plus EPA.

Bring Out the ALA?

"Naturally rich in Omega 3 ALA," says the label of Hellmann's Mayonnaise. "Contains 650 mg ALA per serving; 50% of the Daily Value of ALA (1,300 mg)." Likewise Kraft Real Mayonnaise is a "natural source of 690 mg ALA Omega-3."

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Since when did mayo have ALA?

It always has. Mayonnaise is largely soybean oil, which packs 925 milligrams of ALA per tablespoon. (Canola oil has 1,300 mg, while flaxseed oil has 7,250 mg.) Hellmann's Light Mayonnaise has 260 mg of ALA per tablespoon because it has more water than oil.

The question is: do you want more ALA? Like other unsaturated fats, it helps lower blood cholesterol. But experts disagree over whether it reduces the risk of heart disease. And some studies have found that men who eat an average of 1,500 mg a day of ALA have twice the risk of advanced prostate cancer of men who average 700 mg.

Bottom line: If you want the (potential) benefits of omega-3s, go for DHA and EPA. And until experts clarify the possible link with prostate cancer, men shouldn't go out of their way to get more ALA.

Women needn't worry about getting too much. And it's tough to get too little ALA, what with all the soybean and canola oil in the food supply.

Slippery Spread

Smart Balance is awash in omega-3s. 3s. From Omega Peanut Butter to Omega Oatmeal, Omega Cooking Oil, and Omega Plus Light Mayonnaise, the brand is a regular omega-3 mart.

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But only one Smart Balance item gets some of its omega-3s from a source other than the ALA in flax, canola, soybean, or other vegetable oils. A serving of Omega Plus Buttery Spread has "560 mg Omega-3's" and "contains natural plant sterols & fish oil," according to the big print on the front label.

Shoppers have to read the fine print on the side--there's no shortage--to find out that each tablespoon has only 160 mg of "Long-Chain Omega-13 (DHA, EPA)" along with 400 mg of "ShortChain Omega-3 (ALA)."

There's nothing wrong with getting fish oil from a "buttery spread" ... as long as you know that you're getting a dollop of ALA along with it.

Track the Flax

You'll find omega-3 claims on Quaker Take Heart oatmeal, Kashi TLC granola bars, Barilla Plus spaghetti, and a host of other cereals, pastas, frozen waffles, and other foods.

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Some, like Kashi Mediterranean Pizza, make clear what they contain ("260 mg ALA--an Omega-3"). Others, like Kashi GOLEAN Crunch! Honey Almond Flax cereal, simply say "omega-3 500 mg." How do you know if it's ALA or DHA or EPA?

If the food is made with flaxseed or flax oil, odds are you're getting only ALA. Soybean or canola oil may also supply enough ALA to warrant a claim, but flax is a dead giveaway.

In fact, it's safe to assume that any omega-3 claim refers to ALA unless the label promises EPA and DHA (which should show up in the ingredients list as fish or fish oil) or just DHA (which shows up as algal oil).

Wouldn't it be helpful if the FDA required labels with claims to say how much of each omega-3 the food contained? Don't hold your breath.

Information compiled by Danielle Hazard.