Calculator
Omega-3: cost per gram of EPA and DHA
The honest price of an omega-3 supplement is the cost per gram of combined EPA and DHA, the two omega-3 fatty acids the EFSA-authorised heart-function claim is based on, not the price per capsule of fish oil. A typical 1000 mg fish oil capsule contains about 180 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA, 300 mg combined, according to the US Office of Dietary Supplements, and concentrated oils contain considerably more. Enter the back-of-pack figures below for an instant comparison.
How the calculation works
We add the labelled EPA and DHA per serving, divide the pack price by the number of servings, and express the result two ways: pounds per gram of combined EPA and DHA (the cross-product comparison number) and the cost of a 250 mg reference day, the daily intake at which the EFSA-authorised claim for the maintenance of normal heart function applies. Total "fish oil" or "omega-3 blend" weights are ignored on purpose; only EPA and DHA are counted.
Reference figure: 250 mg combined EPA and DHA a day, from the EFSA authorised claim, EPA and DHA (Regulation (EU) 432/2012), as of 2026-07-19. Typical capsule content (about 180 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA per 1000 mg of fish oil): US Office of Dietary Supplements.
Information only, not medical advice. This tool is educational and is not a substitute for a registered clinician. It does not diagnose anything and does not recommend that you take any supplement. Always read product labels and speak to your GP or pharmacist before starting, stopping or combining supplements. If you are pregnant or trying to conceive, the NHS has specific advice about oily fish and fish-liver oils; check with your midwife, GP or pharmacist.
Read more
See our omega-3 guide and the best omega-3 UK roundup. More calculators on the cost per effective dose hub.
Frequently asked questions
Why price omega-3 per gram of EPA and DHA?
Because "1000 mg fish oil" is not 1000 mg of omega-3. As the summary at the top says, a standard capsule carries about 300 mg of it and concentrated oils carry more, so the cheaper bottle is often the dearer omega-3. Cost per gram of combined EPA and DHA is the only like-for-like price.
How much EPA and DHA is a reference amount?
The EFSA-authorised claim that EPA and DHA contribute to normal heart function applies at a daily intake of 250 mg of combined EPA and DHA, so we use 250 mg a day as the reference. The NHS frames fish advice around eating fish, including one portion of oily fish a week, rather than supplements. Higher intakes should be discussed with your GP or pharmacist.
What if my label does not state EPA and DHA amounts?
Then you cannot calculate the real cost, and that is the warning sign. A label that only gives a total fish-oil weight without the EPA and DHA breakdown is hiding the number that decides value. Check the back-of-pack nutrition table; reputable brands state both.
Does this work for algae omega-3 and vegan products?
Yes. Algal oil products list EPA and DHA the same way, and the calculation is identical. Algal omega-3 is typically dearer per gram, and this calculator shows exactly how much dearer, so you can decide what the fish-free premium is worth to you.
We sell this in our store
Omega-3 EPA 180mg + DHA 120mg
Her Vitals' own omega-3: £24.90 for 100 softgels, 180 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA (300 mg combined) per softgel. Enter those figures above to see the price per gram of EPA and DHA and against the 250 mg reference day.
Sold by us directly from our own Shopify store, disclosed here as our own product like any other. This is a direct sale by us. It does not win our roundups or calculators automatically.
Editor, Her Vitals
Oliver leads Her Vitals's editorial coverage of women's life-stage health and supplements. He curates and reviews existing branded products across trying to conceive, pregnancy, postnatal, perimenopause, menopause and the senior years, weighing what the evidence supports against guidance from bodies such as EFSA, the NHS and NICE, and is clear that the content is information rather than medical advice.
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