Open wide, its good for you

Perhaps the words, “open up, this is good for you,” bring back childhood memories of cod liver oil slipping down your throat.

Whether you remember it fondly or with a shudder, you swallowed one of the world’s healthiest foods.

Cod liver oil provides necessary doses of Vitamins A and D. The latter vitamin is a key component to building strong bones in newborns and young children and maintaining them as we age.

For centuries, it bolstered health and well-being particularly in Northern European fishing villages from Scotland’s Shetland Islands to throughout Scandinavia. Then as now, winter weather is harsh and the sun’s seasonal appearance brief.

By the mid-18^th century the oil’s healing properties were discovered to also benefit those afflicted with rheumatism. Advocates grew to include people with chronic dry skin, brittle nails and hair.

Throughout the 19^th century and up until the mid-20^th, millions of bottles of cod liver oil were consumed in pursuit of good health.

So what happened?

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