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What’s cod liver oil?
Cod liver oil is famend as a nutrient-dense supply of nutritional vitamins and important fatty acids. Because the identify suggests, it’s derived from the liver of the fish and is on the market as a liquid or capsule complement. It is completely different in composition to fish oil, which is extracted from the physique of oily styles of fish.
Learn on to find what provides cod liver oil its health-promoting repute, plus whether or not a complement is basically one of the best ways to get these well being advantages.
Cod liver well being advantages could embody:
1. An excellent supply of omega-3 fatty acids, which our our bodies should get from meals
2. Could play a job in reducing anxiousness and bettering temper
3. Might doubtlessly enhance reminiscence
4. Offers vitamin D, which helps the physique take in calcium
5. Helps soothe irritation and ache attributable to rheumatoid arthritis
Uncover our full vary of well being profit guides. You too can discover additional advantages of dietary fat and omega-3 fatty acids.
Dietary advantages of cod liver oil
A 1,000mg serving supplies roughly:
- 144mg EPA
- 107mg DHA
- 800µg vitamin A
- 10µg vitamin D
The composition of cod liver oil varies to that of fish oil – each are wonderful sources of omega-3 fatty acids, however in several ratios. Cod liver oil additionally supplies naturally occurring vitamin A and vitamin D.
High 5 well being advantages of cod liver oil
1. Helps coronary heart well being
The star ingredient in cod liver oil is omega-3 fatty acid, a polyunsaturated fats. It is referred to as a necessary fatty acid as a result of the human physique is unable to make it, so it’s important that we get it from our diets. The omega-3 fatty acid from fish could be damaged down into two differing kinds – eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – which supply many well being advantages, collectively and individually. They’re recognized to be heart-healthy, with research reporting that omega-3 fatty acids could assist scale back triglycerides, enhance more healthy HDL ldl cholesterol and decrease blood strain.
Whereas many of the analysis means that consuming fish oil akin to cod liver oil could scale back sure components related to coronary heart illness, extra proof is required to substantiate whether or not fish oil has a preventative impact. Nonetheless, present UK dietary recommendation stays the identical: to assist forestall coronary heart illness, the NHS recommends consuming two parts of fish per week, one among which must be an oily selection akin to salmon, mackerel or trout.
2. Temper-boosting
Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, are vital mind vitamins. Research have proven that omega-3 fatty acid could play a job in reducing anxiousness and bettering cognitive operate. In a giant research of 21,835 members, those that usually consumed cod liver oil have been proven to have fewer depressive signs. Moreover, a medical trial of medical college students confirmed that supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids lowered irritation and resulted in much less anxiousness over a 12-week interval.
With this mentioned, a number of related research discovered little or no impact of fish oils on temper, which suggests extra analysis is required to totally perceive the mechanisms behind these associations.
3. Could help improved reminiscence
There was some optimistic analysis into the hyperlink between omega-3 fatty acids and reminiscence. The Vitamin Journal printed a paper that steered that 5 weeks of day by day omega-3 fatty acid consumption had the potential to enhance cognitive operate in these aged 51-72 years previous. In 2018, a systematic evaluate discovered that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation typically correlated with enhancements in cognition, particularly in these with a low baseline degree of fatty acids of their system.
4. Helps bone well being
Cod liver oil is a superb supply of vitamin D, which is required to assist the physique take in calcium, a important bone mineral – from the intestine. As such, satisfactory vitamin D and environment friendly calcium utilisation could assist to scale back age-related bone loss.
5. Could also be useful for rheumatoid arthritis
Because of the anti-inflammatory results of omega-3 fatty acid and vitamin D, it seems that cod liver oil could also be of profit to these with rheumatoid arthritis, serving to scale back ache and doubtlessly minimising the necessity for sure medicines.
A research trying on the consuming habits of 32,000 middle-aged girls discovered that those that ate a number of parts of oily fish per week have been 29% much less more likely to develop the rheumatoid arthritis than those that by no means or solely not often ate oily fish.
Is cod liver oil protected for everybody?
The World Well being Organisation recommends consuming one or two parts of oily fish every week, equal to 200-500mg of EPA and DHA. These with an allergy to fish or who comply with a vegetarian or vegan weight loss plan ought to look to various plant-based sources of those important fatty acids.
As a complement, omega-3 fatty acid is mostly considered protected for most individuals, when taken in low doses (roughly 3g complete fish oil per day or much less). If you’re contemplating taking a brand new complement, talk about this together with your well being practitioner first, particularly in case you are taking prescription remedy.
Dietary supplements present a concentrated and infrequently extra handy dose of omega-3 fatty acid for many who could not have the ability to sufficiently cowl their wants via weight loss plan. With that mentioned, it’s at all times preferable to achieve diet via meals and select dietary supplements solely when further help is required. Most cod liver oil capsules additionally include vitamin D and A, so just be sure you’re not taking some other dietary supplements akin to a multivitamin, or you could exceed the beneficial quantities every day.
It must be famous that the NHS advises in opposition to taking cod liver oil throughout being pregnant as a result of the excessive degree of vitamin A could trigger threat to the growing foetus. It’s best to talk to your physician about your choices in case you are pregnant or seeking to conceive.
For those who do determine to take a complement, select a product from a good firm that exams its product for purity, as a result of fish oils could include contaminants akin to mercury and dioxins.
Total, is cod liver oil good for you?
There’s loads of proof to recommend that cod liver oil is a wholesome complement so as to add to your weight loss plan. It is generally taken to offer the physique with a success of omega-3 fatty acids – as our our bodies cannot make this important nutrient, we should get it from meals. What’s extra, cod liver oil is full of vitamin D which helps the physique to soak up calcium. The mix of vitamin D and omega-3 means it is an important selection for bettering bone well being or relieving joint ache. It is also believed to help reminiscence and enhance temper.
Attempt some omega-3 wealthy recipes:
Grilled mackerel with soy, lime & ginger
20-minute rice supper
Herb-crusted haddock
Tandoori trout
Tuna steaks with cucumber relish
Baked sea bass with lemongrass & ginger
Horseradish baked salmon
South Indian fish curry with chickpeas
Loved this? Now learn:
The well being advantages of salmon
Our favorite wholesome salmon recipes
Extra wholesome fish recipes
This text was final reviewed on 26th November 2021 by Kerry Torrens.
Nicola Shubrook is a dietary therapist and works with each non-public purchasers and the company sector. She is an accredited member of the British Affiliation for Utilized Vitamin and Dietary Remedy (BANT) and the Complementary & Pure Healthcare Council (CNHC). Discover out extra at urbanwellness.co.uk.
All well being content material on bbcgoodfood.com is offered for basic info solely, and shouldn’t be handled as an alternative to the medical recommendation of your personal physician or some other healthcare skilled. In case you have any issues about your basic well being, you need to contact your native healthcare supplier. See our web site phrases and situations for extra info.
