Whales almost disappeared in the last century due to the fact that people actively hunted these sea giants. In Asian countries, their meat was valued as a delicacy, and whalebone became the basis for the manufacture of various items. The main value of these mammals lies in their fat. It is considered almost the elixir of youth and a cure for all ailments. Of course, the importance of whale oil in this regard is somewhat exaggerated, but it is still really useful for a number of diseases.
What helps whale oil?
The fat of this marine mammal can help with the following ailments:
- Arrhythmia . Whale oil has a very high concentration of omega-3. These fats will help with heart problems, evening out its rhythm. The heart muscle becomes healthier and the likelihood of a heart attack decreases. By the way, omega-3 is not only found in whale oil. This element is present in large quantities in the fat of many northern fish, including salmon and mackerel;
- elevated cholesterol ;
- Asthma ;
- Depression . Surprisingly, whale oil copes not only with physical, but also with mental problems. This is also due to the presence in it omega 3. According to the authoritative journal Translational Psychiatry, patients with depressive disorders cope significantly better when they are given omega-3s in addition to antidepressants. There is also evidence that fatty acids help prevent other mental disorders. In this case, it is not necessary to wait for a depressive state. It is enough to start consuming whale oil during a period of increased stress in order to prevent the development of neurosis or depression;
- Facilitate the patient's condition diabetes . In this case, fat is taken in small amounts as a maintenance agent, but it cannot replace insulin injections and other traditional treatment;
- Hypotension ;
- Increased fatigue .
Harm of whale oil
Many components of the product are poorly absorbed if there are few foods with fatty acids in the human diet. The body simply does not accept such fat as normal food, digesting it poorly.
In some cases, it may even appear nausea, which indicates individual intolerance. Therefore, treatment with whale oil should begin with minimal doses.
For the body to cope with assimilation complex components of fat, a healthy digestive system is necessary. Therefore, whale oil should definitely be abandoned. ulcers and people diagnosed with gallbladder pathology.
Otherwise, fat will not only be poorly absorbed, but will also put additional stress on diseased organs. With beriberi, whale fat should also be excluded from the diet.
What is whale oil used for?
Fat, in addition to the treatment of diseases, is used in the following cases:
- Weight loss . Many people are perplexed when they learn that such a high-calorie product as whale oil can reduce weight. In fact, it is only important to use it correctly, or rather, measure out the right amount correctly and combine it with your diet. After drinking a little fat in the morning, a person will feel great. Even if during the day he limited himself to food. After all, it supplied the body with the necessary dose of nutrients. If you add sports activities to a moderate diet, the speed of muscle pumping will increase. That is, whale fat smoothes out the stress that the body experiences due to food restrictions, and also normalizes metabolism; nutrients entering the stomach are absorbed more actively. It turns out that losing weight with fat should not be “passive”. That is, it is not enough to simply consume it a little in the morning. You should go on a gentle diet and increase the load on your muscles;
- Cosmetology . Whale oil helps to moisturize the skin, it becomes fresher after just a few applications. True, it is impossible to legally purchase products containing such fat. Companies are prohibited from using any body parts of whales in the production of cosmetics;
- Strengthening the immune system . Whale oil improves the functioning of organs, replenishes the lack of important elements and removes toxins;
- Warning oncology .
Exaggerated significance of the remedy
Whale oil is certainly a healthy product in all respects. But it cannot be considered a remedy that can replace pills for certain diseases.
Actually, whale oil should act as maintenance therapy. And then only with the doctor's approval. For some reason, some people decide that this remedy can be fully treated.
The cost of fat is quite high. This is due to the fact that its production is prohibited in many countries. It is not a fact that the acquired yellow liquid in a jar will turn out to be a healing product, and not a base imitation.
In addition, the demand for whale blubber, which is still stable due to those who want to rejuvenate and improve their health, creates conditions for poaching.
What was whale oil used for in the past?
It was not only the healing properties of fat that attracted the attention of mankind to sea giants. Before the advent of kerosene, it was used for home lighting, as it burned for a long time and did not smoke much.
With the development of mechanical engineering, whale oil found its application for lubrication of various mechanisms. True, it was soon replaced by more affordable and effective synthetic oils.
Until the middle of the last century, Europe purchased tons of whale oil for the production of margarine. Then scientists will learn to extract from it a substance that is extremely in demand in medicine - glycerol.
Whale oil is still valued by proponents of traditional medicine. In moderate doses, it can also be used in dietetics to make it easier to endure the diet period.
But we should not forget that this is a very specific remedy that is not suitable for patients with certain diseases.
Video: whale fat for wrinkles
In this video, cosmetologist Tatyana Yusupova will tell you how whale oil is used to smooth out nasolabial folds:
People have been hunting whales for centuries. Why is this happening? One of the main reasons is whale fat. It is used in many areas of human activity. In the article we will talk in detail about this organic substance, which has important microelements and vitamins.
Whaling
Whales are huge mammals that live in the water. Their weight can reach up to 150 tons (for example, among extinct mammoths it did not exceed 15), and the average length reaches 25 meters.
It is quite natural that these large animals attracted the attention of people. According to historical data, whale hunting has existed for more than four thousand years. At that time there were a lot of these mammals. Many times more than hunters. Now the situation has changed dramatically. Many countries have already introduced strict bans on the extermination of various
Animal hunting began to be regulated in 1931. Nevertheless, it is extremely popular in countries such as Russia, Canada, Greenland, USA, Iceland, Norway and Japan.
At first, whale meat was highly valued, but then people learned to use almost all parts of mammals. Their brain and glands are sources of insulin and adrenocorticotropic hormone, and their liver is rich in vitamin A. The blood, skin and fat of whales are also used. In the past, bones were used to make rafters for homes, or they were ground into flour, which was used to fertilize the soil. Well, whalebone was used in perfumery to produce amber. Let's move on.
Whale blubber
It is he who finds the widest application among the products obtained from these mammals. Hunters climbed inside the whale through the mouth to extract it. This method is the most optimal, since it was not necessary to cut the skin, which was also used later. All whales have a fairly large reserve of fat. This is due to the fact that mammals live in cold waters, where you can easily freeze. It also saves animals during long migrations (with a long absence of food, whales live off fat) and provides them with buoyancy.
Blubber - this is how the fat of whales and other marine animals was called in the Middle Ages. It was produced by smelting the fat of mammals. The resulting substance had a yellowish tint and an unpleasant odor.
The largest species of whales is blue, they have a fat layer up to 30 centimeters in thickness. Usually it makes up 25-30% of their body weight (around 30 tons). In some individuals this figure reaches 50%. In addition to the subcutaneous layer, fat can be found in other tissues, meat and even bones. To obtain blubber, all these parts were boiled.
Extraction and application
There are not many methods for processing fat. The oldest of them is digestion. Pieces of whale oil and meat were thrown into the furnace right on the ship, and then the resulting liquid was poured into barrels. Also, blubber was obtained in the Middle Ages by melting it in the sun.
What is whale oil used for? Previously, jute was made from it, soap was made and used as lubricants. Over time, fat began to be filled into lanterns and lamps, and also used as fuel for equipment. Well, for example, in Japan this organic substance was used as an insecticide to repel locusts.
So, we found out where whale oil is used. It remains to tell about the method of its extraction. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, it has been hydrogenation. When this processing method is used, the fat becomes hard and completely odorless. Since then, it has been used to make margarines and oils. Nowadays, whale oil is used mainly in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Well, people living in the northern regions still eat it.
Compound
Whale oil is a source of valuable substances that a person needs for good health. It has a fairly high content of vitamin A, which has antioxidant properties and stimulates the immune system. And whale liver oil is rich in vitamin D. The latter is responsible for cell growth and the production of several hormones.
However, there are a number of substances that you cannot get from other products. Fatty acids are of primary value to humans. Well, the product described in the article contains many of them: arachine, palmite, olinic, laronic and others.
It is also worth noting the presence of polyunsaturated acids, which are the most important substances. In whale oil their content ranges from 30 to 40%. The human body is not capable of independently producing polyunsaturated acids, which are involved in the regulation of several body functions (accumulation of cholesterol, etc.). Therefore, it is necessary to replenish their supply from the outside.
Beneficial features
So, we have described the composition of the product. But why do we need whale oil anyway? The polyunsaturated acids it contains are omega-3. They help lower blood pressure in the vessels and prevent the formation of blood clots. In addition, omega-3s contribute to good vision and memory.
Whale fat also helps prevent diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, asthma, osteochondrosis and radiculitis. Due to its composition, it strengthens all tissues of the body. Whale oil improves immunity, prevents cancer and speeds up metabolism.
The product rejuvenates the body and gives a person more energy and strength, helping to get out of depression. In pharmaceuticals, whale oil is used as a remedy for burns. It also promotes tissue healing. And in cosmetology, whale oil is used to moisturize the skin to give it elasticity and firmness.
Weight loss
As strange as it may sound, with the help of whale oil you can lose weight. But this does not mean that you need to eat it in batches and stick to your previous lifestyle. It itself is very high in calories, and if you consume it in large quantities, it will definitely not lead to slimness. The secret is different - a person needs whale fat with active weight loss. It supplies the necessary substances and, when playing sports in combination with a reasonable diet, helps to gain muscle mass.
When losing weight, the body experiences serious stress, and whale fat helps to minimize it, providing the smoothest transition. The product helps to normalize all important processes in the body. Eliminating toxins and helping to absorb nutrients from food are two more functions that whale oil performs in the body. In Kaliningrad and other cities of Russia it can be freely purchased in pharmacies.
Extermination of whales
Despite all the benefits that a person receives from these animals, the mammals themselves have a hard time. Several thousand years ago, people used only whales that had washed ashore. But over time, their targeted fishing began, which reached such a scale that many mammals could disappear forever.
Endangered species include the fin whale, blue whale, bowhead and northern right whale. To prevent a sad outcome, hunting bans appear regularly. But this did not diminish the value of mammals. Japan, Iceland and Norway regularly violate the imposed moratoriums. By the way, there is even a game in the MMORPG genre dedicated to whale hunting. It's called Black Desert. Whale oil is one of the resources used in alchemy there.
Many cosmetology and pharmaceutical companies support the established moratoriums. They learned to make synthetic acids that are no different from those found in whale oil. The effect is the same, and mammals do not suffer.
glycerol and fatty acids.The term "fat" is now commonly used: whale oil, seal oil, cod oil and so on.
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See what "Whale Fat" is in other dictionaries:
WHALE, whale, whale. adj. to whale Whale oil. Whale fishing. Baleen (see baleen). Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
- [Fats are either oily, fatty substances in general (for which see article Fats), or special parts of animal tissues imbued with lard, or liquid and semi-liquid types of animal oily substances, for example. whale Zh., cod Zh., etc. V ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron
whale- see kit 1); oh, oh Quito/fat. Whale fishery. Baleen (elastic horny plates located on the upper jaw of toothless whales; used for making corsets, etc.) ... Dictionary of many expressions
Dietary fat is mainly of vegetable origin. However, some types of confectionery fat contain whale oil, pork fat and beef fat. Contents 1 Co ... Wikipedia
This article should be wikified. Please format it according to the rules for formatting articles... Wikipedia
Bone fat is a mixture of various animal fats extracted from the tubular and spongy bones of farm animals, mainly pigs and cattle. Contents 1 Properties 2 Composition ... Wikipedia
Collier's Encyclopedia
- (Cetacea) an order of exclusively aquatic mammals, which includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. The streamlined, often torpedo-shaped body gives them an external resemblance to fish. However, cetaceans are warm-blooded, breathe atmospheric air,... ... Collier's Encyclopedia
- (Cetacea)* * Cetaceans are an order of mammals most adapted to an aquatic lifestyle. During evolution, cetaceans completely lost the posterior girdle of the limbs (only a rudiment of the pelvis remained, not connected to ... ... Animal life
Recently, a friend and I were watching a documentary about blue whales when he suddenly said: “Did you know that the Japanese still hunt whales for their blubber. They use it as a lubricant for new cars. Whale oil is also considered a better lubricant than gasoline-based lubricants.” Let's figure it out, is this true?
Whale oil was once actually used as a lubricant for new cars in the US and Japan. However, in the early 1970s it was banned from cars sold in the US due to environmental concerns. Automatic transmissions immediately began to have problems, some even claim that their quality will never be the same as before. Therefore, you should hurry to buy the magic whale oil as soon as possible before it is too late and it disappears completely.
Do you really take this statement at face value? It's not that promoters of commercial products ever lie, but they do leave certain details out.
Let's start with whale oil. Surprisingly, although its use peaked in 1850 with the invention of kerosene, whale oil continued to be used commercially for a long time (at one point it was even used to make margarine). The automotive industry especially liked to use sperm whale oil lubricant, which is actually a liquid wax obtained from sperm whale oil, which, in combination with sulfur, produces an excellent automotive lubricant that does not lose its properties at high pressure and low temperature, and also protects from corrosion. When the need for reliable automatic transmissions arose, the use of sperm whale oil lubricant as a "friction modifier" became the obvious choice.
Unfortunately for the sperm whales, the resulting lubricant was of very high quality. Partly as a result of demand from the auto industry, the huge mammals have been pushed to the brink of extinction. In 1970, the United States declared sperm whales and seven other species of whales federally protected, meaning not only that Americans could not hunt them, but also that whale products could not be imported. Beginning in 1973, American automakers switched to new automatic transmission lubricants that did not contain whale oil.
So what happened in the end? At least 5,500 automatic transmissions in cars produced between 1973 and 1975 broke beyond repair. Corrosion of the solder joints in the transmission cooling system allowed antifreeze and transmission fluid to mix, leading to disastrous consequences. In news reports at the time, General Motors, a manufacturer of cars with defective transmissions, declared the lack of whale oil to be a problem. Implying that the fault was not the actions of the company itself, but rather environmentalists.
If you read the news carefully, you will notice that the transmissions produced by General Motors were not automatic. These were two other specific types: Turbo Hydra-Matic 350 and 400. Bad transmissions accounted for only one-sixth of one percent of these units installed by General Motors at that time. Looking for evidence of automatic transmission failures in the mid-1970s, we scoured the technical literature as well as surveys about repair rates in Customer Reports magazine, but found nothing.
This suggests that the real problem was a design flaw in the General Motors transmissions, not a lack of whale blubber as claimed. Anyway, General Motors reissued the solder joints and changed the lubricant, and the problem went away.
However, you can still find people who believe that automatic transmissions are not as reliable as those produced during the use of whale oil. I think this is all nonsense. In the early 1960s, for example, a typical automatic transmission made by General Motors might stall after 25,000 to 40,000 miles (40,233 to 64,374 km); by the 1980s this norm had risen to 100,000 miles (161,000 km). Fortunately, the industry has found equivalent or even better quality substitutes for whale oil-based lubricants.
So far we've talked about the USA, but what about Japan? Since the Japanese are "on their own", I would not be surprised by their ingredients in lubricating fluids. However, the International Whaling Commission says the Japanese killed 47 sperm whales between 1993 and 2009. During this time, Japanese automakers built 178,000,000 vehicles. Assuming that (a) half of the cars produced had automatic transmissions, (b) the average sperm whale produces 30 barrels of oil, and (c) all of that fat is wasted on transmission fluid (although this is just a guess), therefore less than half goes into each car teaspoon of fat.
Whale hunting has long been an industrial activity. The Basques were doing this in the Bay of Biscay already in the 11th century. Whale hunting began in North America in the 17th century.
The main reason for this fishery was to extract whale oil. Oil was extracted from various breeds of whales.
Until the mid-19th century, whale oil was the only oil that satisfied all fat needs. It was used for lighting, as a lubricant, as a leather treatment and in many other processes. Whale oil was used in large quantities in the soap industry and in the production of margarine. Whale oil from certain breeds of whales was used in the chemical industry.
The oil was obtained mainly from whales caught in the Arctic and Antarctic in the spring and summer, when the whales are well-fed and have a lot of fat. The blue whale can produce about 19,080 liters of blubber, and the sperm whale 7,950 liters.
As a result of whale hunting, many of them, such as the blue whale, white and gray whales, have almost ceased to exist. A special international commission for the protection of whales was created. She is engaged in controlling their numbers. It was created back in 1946, but there was no great effect from its work, blue and humpback whales became even more rare, and fin whales almost disappeared.
Many measures are now being taken to preserve the remaining whales and prevent their extinction.
At one time whaling was very important. Now, to most of us, the very idea of whale hunting may seem a little strange. What good can we get from these enormous creatures?
But it turns out that the amount of valuable products obtained from whale hunting is very large. Thus, excellent fat is obtained from whale blubber (fat-containing subcutaneous tissue). This fat is used for lamps, and it is also used in making soap.
Many whales have very tasty meat. Their bones are used to make fertilizer. Spermaceti, or fat, which is found in the head cavity, is obtained from sperm whales. Spermaceti is used to make ointments, cosmetics and suppositories.
Gray ambergris is also obtained from sperm whales - a very valuable substance produced in their intestines, which is used in the manufacture of perfumes. The teeth of the sperm whale and the tusk of the narwhal are very valuable bones, comparable to ivory. And from the skin of a white whale they produce something like leather.
Did you know that all cetaceans are mammals? Their ancestors once lived on land. They still have fins that look like five-fingered hands. But for many millennia, living in the water, they have adapted to such a life.
