Fish Oil – Then and Now

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Wanderer

Fish oil – Horror of my childhood. It was around 1950 – 1952, we lived modestly, sometimes having trouble even with bread. Really this was because of serious flooding – a little town Jēkabpils (Germ. Jakobstadt) was cut off from the outside world, but ended in flour. At that time every morning to all of us three children after breakfast before going to school was to drink fish oil, a whole tablespoon. Disgusting! We did even realize that it is necessary for us, and my mother’s supervision (as it was in case of Tom Sawyer and Aunt Polly) was not required. But the oil was so disgusting and repugnant, that each time I was afraid to induce vomiting. Of course, it was already known and verified that the easiest way to get it inside was quickly chew a piece of rye-bread with a pinch of coarse common salt (another salt in the province town at that time there was not, at least for us).
I use fish oil now, today, too. But what kind of it! It is a smooth capsule, the taste is not felt at all, but it yet comes into body. Being in liquid form – with lemon, orange or any fruit flavor (fish oil with a fruity taste – just imagine!). Of course, now I read info leaflet, know what there is inside – Omega 3 and so on and everything very useful. Well, and I’m sure not to torment myself by ingestion.
Yes, but what really is there inside? Anyone who wants to learn, easy finds information. But I suggest you look at the three main contributors of that marvellous product. Well, first of all the Cod (Gadus morhua L. callarias). It is still fished in the Baltic Sea, but there are large annual fluctuations in catch volumes. Many think and report on studies that fish there is becoming less and less.
An important source (and with important weight!) of raw material is Salmon (Salmo salar). They still occure quite frequently, but many times you can’t really know what there is inside. This time in terms of toxicity (unfortunately to the Cod it is likely to apply the same way). The first picture is more academic, scholarly, comprehensive but the other one shows that such giants really still occur just around the Daugava.
Very spectacular and good-looking (hm…) are sharks (Selachimorpha, many species). Thank God in waters nearby Baltics they don’t occur. One of the most impressives examples is the white-shark (Carcharodon carcharias, white death, maneater), which also tend to attack people. The first image shows a typical representative which I would not wish to encounter. But the second picture is a special case: Arnold saved from death in the net / toils a female white shark. Now 'she' is tuned not only beneficial, but even full of love for his rescuer.

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