What should be a healthy diet? Scientists are constantly offering to pay attention to more and more products that contain healthy substances. But do not neglect and products, the benefits of which are known for a long time. Doctors strongly recommend that your diet include cod liver oil: the useful properties of this product have long earned universal recognition.

Terrible memories of childhood

Several generations of Soviet children had a daily drink cod liver oil. In the children's literature of the time often referred to the product that the majority of kids cause permanent hostility. Yet the use of fish oil was justified: This tool helps to combat unpleasant consequence of vitamin deficiency D - rickets Rickets - all about vitamins .

Interestingly, although fish oil Fish oil - so whether it is useful to think?   pure no one attracted, the main source of fat - cod liver oil - always considered a delicacy. And deservedly so: from cod liver delicate texture, delicate flavor and very soft, pleasant taste. This product - a real festive table decoration. Lightly seasoned with pepper prisolennaya and cod liver oil in the form of canned preserves all the useful properties. It is the perfect base for salads and sandwich masses, not only tasty, but useful.

Unlike other fish canned cod liver oil is not very suitable for use in its natural form. The reason - the high fat content. Although the fat and is useful for those who suffer from diseases of the liver, gall bladder and other organs of digestion, the use of large amounts of cod liver oil can cause serious health problems. And those who do not complain of such ailments, should nevertheless comply with the measure is a little cod liver oil.

The most valuable oil

The main value of cod liver oil - contained in it in large amounts of fish oil. Fish oil, which is sold in a pharmacy, it is extracted from the liver of cod. In addition, this useful substance rich in other types of fish living in cold seas, for example, its a lot of mackerel and herring. But cod liver oil - a real champion on the content of fish oil. This product is still useful to children, adults and the elderly.

Fish oil is of three kinds. Brown different kind of unpleasant odor and taste, now this fat is used only for technical purposes, such as for treatment of the skin. Yellow and white fat are used for medical purposes. White fat can be taken orally as biologically-active additives.

The properties of fish oil

Yellow or reddish liquid resembling oil, but the fishy smell and taste (more or less pronounced) - this is a magical fish oil. It is composed of oleic, palmitic, linolenic, arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, docosahexaenoic, dokozaentaenovaya acid. Some of these acids are included in the group of polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 - substances that modern doctors believe almost a panacea for many diseases.

It is important that the human body can not synthesize these acids alone, so crucial to the presence of foods rich in omega-3 and omega-6 acids in the diet. At the same time, the bad cholesterol, which is contained in most foods of animal origin, fish oil, cod liver absent.

Omega-3 fatty acids are a complex effect on the human body. They have anti-inflammatory properties, improve brain activity, help in the fight against allergies, reduce stress How to beat stress? Create an oasis   and are even used in the treatment of mental disorders.

In addition, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have anti-inflammatory properties and is an excellent tool for the prevention and treatment of depressive states. A docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a part of the set of cosmetics, because it allows to keep the skin supple and beautiful. Also useful for the acid and of the nervous system.

It often happens that a particular product is a "thing in itself", that is, it contains the nutrients can not be absorbed by the human body. Fish oil, in contrast, is absorbed very well, it can easily penetrate through the pores of the cell membrane and, consequently, all the nutrients that are found in fish oil, the body gets in full.

Storehouse of vitamins

Fish oil, and accordingly, cod liver oil, rich in vitamins A, D, E. Therefore, regular consumption of cod liver oil helps to avoid hypo- and beriberi.

For example, vitamin A deficiency leads to a so-called "night blindness" - in the twilight one sees much worse than in bright light. In addition, significantly changing the skin - appear peeling, dryness, wrinkles. Hair fall, worsening the various systems of the body, worsening the body's resistance to various infectious diseases.

Vitamin D, in contrast to other vitamins can not only come from food, but also synthesized in the body. To do this, you just need to regularly walk outside in sunny weather. But in the northern countries such trips is not always possible: most of the year the weather is cloudy, no sun. Therefore, in the autumn and winter there is a need for supplementation of vitamin D, which is needed for good growth of bones and teeth in children The teeth in children - any abnormalities need treatment? . Moreover, this helps the absorption of vitamin essential mineral substances (calcium, phosphorus) and improves the condition of the nervous system.

Fish oil derived from the tissues of fatty fish varieties such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, lake trout and sardines, has many useful properties. The fish oil contains the necessary health omega-3 fatty acids that help both in a number of diseases. For example, they reduce the risk of heart attack and coronary heart disease, helps fight depression Depression - a little more than a bad mood , Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Improves brain activity

We have all heard the word "fish - food for the brain", but can in fact fish oil Fish oil - so whether it is useful to think?   improve the functioning of our brain? As recent studies show, it is so.

In fact, one component of omega-3 fatty acids (which is a rich source of fish oil), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is also a major component of nerve cells in the brain. Membranes of these nerve cells consist of docosahexaenoic acid.

As a result, the researchers found that people with Alzheimer's disease docosahexaenoic acid content is lowered, which is associated with a reduced ability to think logically and the ability of nerve cells to interact with each other.

The beneficial properties of fish oil have been shown in a critical situation, when fish oil was used to treat the sole survivor of the disaster at the mine in the mine "sago" in the US in 2006, the miners who remained underground for more than 40 hours, subjected to carbon monoxide poisoning. In addition to damage the heart and liver had commenced hemorrhage, and cerebral edema. During the treatment, among other things, he was given high doses of fish oil to reduce the inflammation had begun caused by oxygen deficiency, and to stimulate the growth of new nerve cells.

Partly thanks to this treatment that the miner could be discharged from hospital after 4 months. And it was a miracle! Fish oil is being actively researched for the purpose of using it as an additional treatment for people with schizophrenia Schizophrenia - to blame civilization   and depression.

Although the study of useful properties of fish oil are still ongoing, its potential to improve the activity of the brain and the possibility of preventing certain types of mental disorders is another reason, which in any healthy diet should include a high-quality fish oil.

It helps lower blood pressure

Of great importance is the property of fish oil lower blood pressure. This is especially important for those who have a family history of hypertension or who have a family history of heart attacks. In such cases it is necessary to take all possible measures to keep the pressure is normal and my whole life to be an active, vigorous, strong and healthy. But how fish oil helps maintain normal blood pressure?

First of all, it should be said about why high blood pressure is so dangerous to health. One of the causes of high blood pressure is a narrowing of the arteries that supply blood flowing through the body. If the artery is too narrow, the heart has to work in a more intensive mode, the blood continued to flow through the arteries. As a result of increasing pressure on the walls of arteries. As a result, the heart muscle is tired of hard work, and increased pressure within the arteries can cause damage.

Fish oil contains docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which are the omega-3 fatty acids, and therefore it lowers triglyceride levels in the blood. Triglycerides - a simple fats. An excess of these fats may occur clogging blood vessels, resulting in narrowing of the arteries. All this increases the development of hypertension Hypertension - Control your blood pressure .

Also cod liver oil helps to increase the blood levels of HDL, the so-called "good cholesterol". It is believed that this type of cholesterol helps cleanse the arteries of the "bad cholesterol", bringing it back to the liver where it is eliminated from the body, or re-used in a more acceptable form.

In addition, the useful properties of fish oil appear even brighter when it works in tandem with a program of regular exercise. It was proved that these two components increases the flexibility of the arteries. Hard arteries also makes the heart work harder, but in a flexible artery blood flows more freely.

The American Heart Association recommends taking 2-4 grams of omega-3 fatty acids every day, while talking to your doctor. This recommendation is for those who want to reduce blood levels of triglycerides, as well as those who want to deal with the problem of high blood pressure naturally.