The Surprising History of Cod Liver Oil: From Snake Oil to Vitamin Hero
Nowadays, the phrases “cod liver oil” often conjure up images of a murky spoonful, pushed on by a stern school nurse or a figure straight out of Dickens. But cod liver oil is one of those rare remedies from a bygone era—when snake oil reigned supreme—that actually possessed real medical benefits.
A Legacy of Sunshine in a Bottle
Extracted from the livers of codfish, cod liver oil is packed with vitamins D and A. Long before vitamins were formally identified, people noticed children consuming cod liver oil suffered less from rickets—a debilitating bone disease that can lead to seizures and heart attacks.
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In the 20th century, rickets cases surged, pointing toward a mismatch between people’s diets and their vitamin D needs. This spurred governments to fortify foods like margarine, bread, milk, and cereals with vitamin D. In the US, milk has been fortifying since 1933, while the UK followed suit in 1940 with mandatory margarine forification.
Unfortunately, things weren’t quite so simple in Finland.
Fortification Attempts
In the early 2000s, Finland launched a voluntary fortification program, aiming to address Vitamin D deficiency concerns. But the program faced hiccups.
Here’s what went wrong…
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