By Robert Carry
Who doesn’t want to be that little bit healthier? Especially if improving your health involves minimal effort. With this in mind we’ve made it our mission to bring you news each week of a product, a foodstuff, an exercise technique or a pill that promises potentially magical health-giving properties.
This week’s magic ingredient: Cod liver oil.
Not to be confused with: Cod, liver or oil.
Ah, here now is this the stuff that mammies used to ladle into children back in the 50s? The very same. Although these days its rank taste is negated by the fact that it is more commonly taken in capsule form rather than as a bottle of stinking liquid.
So what exactly is it then? It’s as it says on the tin – oil extracted from the livers of everyone’s favourite near-extinct North Atlantic fish, the cod.
Christ. What exactly do you have to do to a cod’s liver to get oil out of it? Back in the day, cod liver oil was made by filling wooden barrels with fresh cod livers and seawater. Leave it for a few stinking months and the magic of fermentation separated the oil from the rest of the putrid mixture. Skim it off and chow down.
Nowadays however, the body tissue of the fish with liver included are cooked to separate the oil. It’s done as part of the process which turns the crappy bits of fish nobody wants into fish meal. Everybody wins. Except the fish, obviously.
And there’s plenty of good gear in it. There is indeed. It has high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, and very high levels of vitamin A and vitamin D.
And I should ingest this stuff…why? Cod liver oil has anti-inflammatory properties which makes it useful for keeping your joints in good working order. It’s clinically proven to have a positive effect on your heart, bones, skin, hair, and nails. It also helps keep your nervous system, immune system and eyes in good working order while helping to stave off depression.
I’ve seen fish oil capsules in the shop and it can be a bit cheaper. Is it the same sort of deal? Although cod liver oil and fish oil work in a similar way, cod liver is better for you in that it boasts much higher levels of vitamins A and D.
I’m sold. How do I take the stuff? You can get cod liver oil from health shops and most supermarkets. As mentioned, it comes in gelatin capsules but the masochistic among you will be happy to know that you can still torture yourself by getting a bottle and spoon the gear into you.
So it doesn’t taste nice. Gelatin has no taste. Depending on the quality of the oil however, the bottled stuff can have a mild fishy taste to something almost implausibly disgusting. Some manufacturers add lemon and other masking flavours to it, but I wouldn’t bother because it still tastes rank. Just get the tablets.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
