Norwegian fish oil, with its high omega-3 fatty acid content, is considered one of the best sources for fish oil supplements. Fish oil is the leading natural product used as an alternative medicine in the United States. The National Health Interview Survey, conducted by the National Institutes of Health, found that over 37 percent of adults said that they used fish oil supplements in the past 30 days in 2007. This number was only 11.7 percent in 2002.
Norway Fisheries
Norway has a long history of fishing, thanks to a coastline of more than 83,000 km and over 200 fish and shellfish species. Norway is the world's second largest exporter of seafood after China, and maintains its status as a pioneer in modern aquaculture. Benefiting from the cold coastal water of the North Atlantic Ocean, Norway is home to cold-water fish such as salmon, cod, herring and halibut. Fresh, wild-caught marine fish are available in Norway for several months of the year. Their farmed cousins are available year-round.
Norwegian Fish Farming
The Norwegians have farmed salmon and trout for over a century. There are fish farms along the entire coastline. Fish farming is one of Norway's largest industries, producing over 600,000 tons of fish per year. Over 80 percent of the farmed fish in Norway is salmon. Rainbow trout accounts for another 10 to 15 percent.
Norwegian Fish Oil
Fish oil contains two essential omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. Fish do not make these fatty acids, but obtain them from eating plankton, including phytoplankton, or plant plankton, and zooplankton, or animal plankton. Smaller fish eat plankton, and large fish prey on the smaller ones. In this way, the omega-3 fatty acids pass along the food chain. The North Atlantic Ocean off the Norwegian coast has the largest plankton population in the world. This forms the basis for the rich omega-3 content found in Norwegian fish and fish oil.
Norwegian fish oil is usually processed from farmed Atlantic salmon or Atlantic cod liver, both excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. One serving of farmed Atlantic salmon provides all the omega-3 fatty acids that an adult needs every day. When shopping for Norwegian fish oil supplements, look for the word "Norwegian" in the product name or in the ingredient list on the food label.
Benefits of Fish Oil
Fish oil has been used as an alternative therapy for many diseases, including high blood pressure, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, menstrual pain and depression. Fish oil has been approved by FDA for lowering triglycerides in the blood. There is strong evidence that fish oil may lower the risk of heart diseases, especially sudden cardiac death. A review published in the "American Journal of Cardiology" found that fish oil supplementation in the dosage range of 0.85 to 4 g per day reduces the risk of sudden cardiac attack and total cardiac disease mortality by 20 to 50 percent. The anti-inflammatory activity of fish oil may help relieve pain from rheumatoid arthritis, menstruation and migraines. Consumption of fish oil may benefit brain development in children. Fish oil supplementation improved reading, spelling and behavior in school-aged children with developmental coordination disorder, according to a study published in the journal "Pediatrics."
References
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: National Aquaculture Overview -- Norway
- Go Norway: Go fishing
- Oceanic Research Group: Plankton: Ocean Drifters
- MedlinePlus: Fish Oil
- Pediatrics: The Oxford-Durham study: a randomized, controlled trial of dietary supplementation with fatty acids in children with developmental coordination disorder; Richardson AJ et al.; 2005
- Am J. Cardiol.: Secondary prevention of coronary artery disease with omega-3 fatty acids; Jacobson TA; 2006
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