Fish oil has been known for its medicinal properties for over 150 years. In the Soviet Union, everything was aimed at the health of the nation, and all the best, as you know, was intended for children.
After the war, Soviet scientists came to the conclusion that the diet of the people of the Land of the Soviets clearly lacks polyunsaturated fatty acids. In kindergartens, they began to water children with fish oil without fail. Today it is sold in gelatin capsules that exclude any sensation. But people of the older generation still recall with a shudder a bottle of dark glass with a liquid of a disgusting smell and bitter taste.
So, fish oil contains the most valuable acids – linoleic, arachidonic, linolenic. They help to strengthen the immune system, are of great importance for memory and concentration. Vitamins A and D, necessary for the growth and proper development of the body, are also noticed there. This fat is found in sea fish, however, alas, not in such a high concentration as a person needs. Therefore, every Soviet child was recommended to take a whole spoonful of fish oil a day. There were some individuals who drank this fat even with pleasure. However, the majority, of course, took this most useful thing with disgust.
Everything went well: in the kindergartens, children were stuffed with fish oil in the belief that this product had a wonderful effect on health; the children frowned, cried, but swallowed. Suddenly, in the 70s of the last century, the coveted bottles abruptly disappeared from the shelves. It turned out that testing the quality of fish oil revealed extremely harmful impurities in its composition! How, where? They began to understand. It turned out that unsanitary conditions prevail at the fish oil factories, and the ocean where the fish was caught is very polluted. And cod fish, from the liver of which fat was extracted, as it turned out, are capable of accumulating a lot of toxins in this very liver. A scandal broke out at one of the Kaliningrad factories: it was revealed that small fish and herring offal, and not cod and mackerel, were used as raw materials for the production of a valuable product. As a result, fish oil cost the company a penny, and was sold at a high price. In general, the factories were closed, the kids breathed a sigh of relief. The 1970 Fish Oil Banning Ordinance was repealed in 1997. But then fat in capsules has already appeared.
Mothers in 50s America were also advised to give their children fish oil.
Today’s medical experts say that everything was done correctly in the Soviet Union, fish oil is still needed. Moreover, in 2019, Russia started talking about an almost pandemic of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid deficiency! Scientists from two Russian universities, together with specialists from private clinics, conducted research, revealing a deficiency of fatty acids in 75% of the subjects. Moreover, most of them were children and adolescents under 18 years of age.
In general, drink fish oil. However, do not forget that no amount of nutritional supplements can replace a healthy diet.
– In the Soviet Union, everyone drank fish oil! After the 70s of the last century, this fad began to subside, since it was actually discovered that harmful substances accumulated in fish, in particular, salts of heavy metals. Then the production technologies were improved and returned to the means beloved by our people. It was believed that fish oil is a panacea for diseases and, first of all, the prevention of rickets in children. Today it is much more rational to use omega-3-unsaturated fatty acids: docosahexaenoic (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic (EGA) acids are very important for both children and adults. In an amount of 1000-2000 mg per day, it is a very effective remedy from the standpoint of anti-aging strategies.