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Catfish viscera oil is made from the viscera – internal organs of the catfish. Catfish oil is a dietary source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids which help maintain heart and vascular health in humans. The omega-3 levels in catfish are very low compared to other fish species but have notable health benefits. It lowers lower total serum cholesterol level and blood pressure, and improves some symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Scientists are discovering the effectiveness of omega-3s in treating Alzheimer’s disease, autism, breast cancer, bipolar disorder and asthma (Oladapo & Awojide, 2015)*. The oil from catfish can be used as an alternative to cod liver oil.

Ingredients

1 Catfish 2. balls of onions

Preparation

Thoroughly wash your catfish.
Cut open the catfish and extract the fat from it.
Wash the fat in clean water and put in a sieve to drain out the water.
Heat an empty pot on fire and pour the fat inside the hot pot.
Stir the fat until the oil comes out.
Cut your onion and add to the boiling oil and stir. Do not allow the onion to get burnt.
The onion bleaches and deodorizes the oil. It also adds flavour to it.
When all the fat has melted, sieve out the onion.
Your catfish oil is ready.
Store in a container at room temperature or inside the fridge.

The oil is very good for frying and cooking your meals. You can cook a sumptuous dinner with the catfish.

* Oladapo, A, Awojide, S. (2015). Quality evaluation of oil extracted from catfish and mackerel as compared with commercial cod liver oil, J. Food Chem. Nutr. 03 (01): 13-18.

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This article was first published on 8th August 2018

chinwe

An Environment Resource Management graduate of Abia State University with her Masters in-view, Chinwe is also a Columnist, an OAP, a sought-after motivational speaker and writer with special interest in food and the balance of diet.