Cod Liver Oil – Nutritional Powerhouse
By The Doctor’s Prescription for Healthy Living- Alex Muniz

Iceland may be all tucked away up there next to Greenland, but its 300,000-odd inhabitants harbor one very big secret. For centuries, these hearty descendants of medieval Scandinavians have ingested ample amounts of fish oil, and cod liver oil in particular. Not coincidentally, Icelanders currently maintain one of the highest life expectancies of any people in the world. Researchers partially attribute this longevity to the omega-3 fatty acids found in abundance in cod liver oil, and it is this correlation that has Healthy Living so excited about Garden of Life’s Olde World Icelandic Cod Liver Oil. It’s helpful in alleviating everything from joint pain to depression, and because of its high omega-3 content, it should form an essential part of any person’s diet.

Omega-3 vs. Omega-6

Two of the most vital fatty acids are omega-3s and omega-6s—fats that promote cardiovascular, brain, and bone health (among many other good things). Unfortunately, because our bodies do not produce omega-3s and omega-6s naturally, we must ingest foods that contain the “essential fatty acids.” And here’s where Americans get into trouble.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) recommend that a person’s total daily caloric intake from fat not exceed 35 percent. That 35 percent should break down in the following way: 20 percent of total daily calories from monounsaturated fat, 10 percent from polyunsaturated fat (i.e., omega-3s and omega-6s), and a mere 7 percent from saturated fats.

The average American, however, ingests far too much saturated fat. A 2004 study by the Mayo Clinic found that only 29 percent of the 1,200 surveyed did not exceed a daily caloric fat intake of 30 percent. And for those Americans laying off the saturated fat, well, chances are high that they’re not getting the right balance of unsaturated fats.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, Americans ingest 11 to 30 times more omega-6 than omega-3. Experts link this incredible discrepancy to a diet rich in processed foods cooked in corn oil, sunflower oil and soybean oil, but light on fish, flax seeds, and pumpkin (the latter three well-regarded for their high omega-3 content).

All told, the NHLBI recommends that the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 polyunsaturated fats in our diet be 4:1 or even 1:1. Why is such a ratio so critical? In balanced amounts, omega-6 fatty acids have a demonstrated ability to reduce inflammation and pain associated with arthritis and menstruation. But when omega-3 fatty acids are neglected, and too much omega-6 consumed, the results can get very bad, very fast.

The University of Maryland’s report on omega-3 adds, “[An] imbalance contributes to long-term diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, asthma, arthritis, and depression.” Simply put, Americans need to ingest more omega-3 fatty acids to reap the benefits of all polyunsaturated fats. And the best way to turn this corner is to embrace the food with the highest density of omega-3 acids: cod liver oil.

Cod Liver Oil—An Omega-3 Powerhouse

The family of omega-3 acids found in Olde World Icelandic Cod Liver Oil—alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)—have been found to have beneficial effects on everything from arthritis, to Crohn’s disease, to prostate cancer, but for Healthy Living, the most important advantages in the omega-3 family include its life span-lengthening cardiovascular, neurological, and developmental influences.

Cardiovascular

There is ample research into omega-3 fatty acids’ important role in improving blood pressure, decreasing triglycerides, guarding against stroke, and regulating heart function. One 2004 study on omega-3s’ effects upon people with heart arrhythmias found that those taking fish oil regularly averaged anywhere between 46.9 percent and 100 percent fewer occurrences of the four types of arrhythmia the study followed.

Arguably omega-3s’ finest hour, however, came in late 2004 when the Food and Drug Administration officially allowed for “a qualified health claim” that omega-3s can reduce coronary heart disease, provided consumers do not exceed more than 2 grams daily.

Neurological

The omega-3 acid DHA resides in high concentration in the brain, indicating a vital role for cod liver oil in assisting neurological activity. A 1999 Harvard study published in the American Medical Association's Archives of General Psychiatry found that omega-3s increase serotonin levels, in effect mirroring the effect of antidepressants.

In a 1999 interview, Joseph R. Hibbeln, M.D., an expert on the link between essential fatty acids and brain chemistry, noted, “The country with the lowest prevalence of depression was Japan at about 0.12, and the highest was New Zealand at almost 6 percent …Virtually all of the differences across those countries appeared to be predicted by how much fish people were eating.” Similarly, in 2002, French researchers surveyed 1,670 people over age 68 over a period of seven years and found that those eating fish rich in omega-3s once a week had a significantly lower risk of developing dementia.

Fetal and Infant Development

The presence of DHA in the brain stems from its importance in developing vision and the central nervous system during fetal development and infancy. Around 50 percent of the brain’s DHA develops while in the fetal development stage, with another 50 percent developing during a child’s first year. Scientists and doctors consider it essential that both pregnant and nursing mothers receive adequate amounts of DHA in their diets. A study of 84 breastfed infants whose mothers consumed cod liver oil during their first trimesters revealed that, at four years of age, those children scored markedly better on intelligence tests than their peers. While the study was far from conclusive, it’s clear that whether old, young, or in between, cod liver oil and the omega-3s therein are helping people live healthier lives.

A Foundational Supplement

The generation-spanning capabilities of cod liver oil and its omega-3 fatty acids have led Garden of Life to label Olde World® Icelandic Cod Liver Oil a “foundational supplement.” Just as you might ingest a daily multivitamin, Garden of Life asks consumers to take one teaspoon daily of their cod liver oil. And unlike our previous experiences with fish oil, it is a teaspoon we’ll gladly accept. Garden of Life has modified their oil with an all-natural, lemon-mint flavor, a taste that all but eliminates the oil’s fishy origins and one that makes the supplement an easy proposition for toddlers all the way through seniors. But perhaps Olde World’s greatest advantage is its inclusion of vitamins A and D.

Unlike other fish oils, cod liver oil possesses extremely high amounts of vitamins A and D. In fact, “Cod liver oil contains more vitamin A and more vitamin D per unit weight than any other common food,” according to clinical nutritionist Krispin Sullivan’s essay, “Cod Liver Oil—Number One Superfood.”

Olde World Icelandic Cod Liver Oil’s preformed vitamin A helps with vision and immune functions while its vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and maintain phosphorous levels in the blood. And because vitamin D requires ultraviolet sunlight to synthesize in the skin, regularly ingesting cod liver oil is especially valuable for people who do not receive much natural sunlight in their daily lives (perhaps this is the most obvious explanation for why Icelanders so love their cod liver oil!).

Olde World Icelandic Cod Liver Oil is all the stronger on account of its manufacturing processes. Garden of Life uses cod found only in the waters off Iceland, tests the fish rigorously to make sure their heavy metal content is within normal ranges, and then leaves the fish’s oil undeodorized and unbleached, so as to protect the vitamin A and D quality. The end result is a supplement that is as easy to take as its effects are far-reaching.

Get Omega-3s Right

There are only a few big-bang foundational supplements for children and adults, and cod liver oil is clearly among the simplest to ingest. We all remember the classic fish oil taste and go YUCK, but Garden of Life’s Icelandic Cod Liver Oil tastes great and supplies just the right foundational amounts of omega-3 fatty acids in one serving. After all, that teaspoon a day may indeed keep the doctor away.

Resources

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References

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