Some of you might remember when your mother or grandmother insisted that you take your daily teaspoon of cod liver oil. You were probably wondering how the gross, slimy liquid could have any health benefit at all.
As it turns out, fish oil, like the oil derived from cod fish, can provide the body with tremendous health benefits. The bottom line is, your mom and grandma were right after all.
So what exactly is fish oil?
Fish oil is oil that is taken from the tissues of fatty and oil-rich fish such as cod, salmon, tuna, sardines, herring and mackerel as well as a slew of other types of fish. Fish oil contains a type of polyunsaturated fat (a type of fat that the body needs but cannot produce on its own) called Omega 3 fatty acids. These fatty acids must be obtained from food sources. There are three main types of Omega 3 fatty acids that are important to the body’s metabolism. These are a-Linolenic Acid (ALA), Eicosapentaenoic Acid (ELA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA).
In the past, fish oil (in particular cod liver oil), was commonly taken because it was known to alleviate the symptoms of arthritis and prevent rickets.
Today experts from around the world agree that including fish oil supplements as part of your regular diet can offer a whole host of other health benefits. Some of these include:
- Regulating the body’s cholesterol levels
- Preventing heart disease
- Thwarting off certain types of cancer
- Helping with cognitive function and brain development
- Preventing depression
- Protecting the brain from issues associated with Alzheimer’s
- Promoting healing from injury or illness
- Preventing the occurrence of ADD / ADHD in children
Why has fish oil become so important? Well actually, in the past, the Omega 3s contained in fish oil were a regular part of yesterday’s diet. So regular in fact, that its importance was negligible.
Omega 3 molecules consist of sunlight, water, carbon dioxide and organelles of plants and algae. Prior to the evolution of technology in food production, animals used to roam and graze in the fields rich in sunlight. It took a few years for these animals to be fit enough for human consumption.
Today cattle and poultry are quickly fattened up with grain, injected with antibiotics and hormones and are housed in close proximity to other animals. In effect, the quality of our meat has changed. Our dependence on this type of meat, in addition to processed food has eliminated Omega 3 from our diets.
Research from around the world concludes that cultures with diets rich in fish had lower rates of heart disease, arthritis and infections; therefore, the need to include fish oil in our diets is more important now than it ever was before.