Some people wonder what the difference is between Arctic Cod Liver Oil and other Cod Liver Oils. Arctic Cod Liver Oil is simply fish oil that has been produced from the liver of Cod sourced from the waters around the Arctic. Many believe that these areas are less polluted by PCBs, mercury and toxic chemicals than other waters and so the Cod Liver Oil is likely to be more pure. But is it?
We all know that eating more fish would be good for our health but unfortunately we don’t live in a perfect world and have managed to quite successfully pollute our oceans and rivers by dumping large amounts of industrial waste into the sea. Sadly, this means that our fish are polluted too, no matter where they are sourced.
Yes the areas around the Arctic and places like Norway are no doubt less polluted than other areas, but they still contain harmful toxins and so can the fish. This is why we are advised by health authorities to restrict our intake of fish; particularly oily fish but not to stop eating fish altogether. They certainly don’t tell us to eat only the fish from the Arctic.
Now we have a dilemma. Where are we supposed to get the essential nutrients that are only to be found in fish if the very fish we need to consume are polluted? The answer is fairly obvious. We can take supplements like Cod Liver Oil or Fish Oil.
However, no matter what kind of Cod Liver Oil you decide to buy, it can still contain harmful toxins. If you decide to take Cod Liver Oil or Fish Oil then it is important to check that the one you choose has been independently lab tested to make sure it is pure and free from contaminants.
Many people also wonder if it is best to take Cod Liver Oil or Fish Oil. One of the differences between Cod Liver Oil and Fish Oil is that Cod Liver Oil also contains vitamins A and D which can be harmful in high doses. You should not take Cod Liver Oil if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant as vitamin A has been linked to birth defects.
These days it is possible to buy high grade Fish Oil that has been through sophisticated processes like molecular distillation to remove any undesirable or harmful chemicals and which has been concentrated to contain very high amounts of the Omega 3 fatty acids we need so badly for optimum physical and mental health.
