Cod liver oil, chicken essence & other 'good & nutritious' things our parents used to feed us that we hated

Most of us will probably remember being fed something we hated growing up.

More often than not, the excuses our parents used to give us would be that such foods or supplements were “good for us” - better brains/health and all.

After speaking to some of my colleagues about the “good and nutritious” things they were fed with in the past which they hated with a vengeance, here’s a compilation of the top few.

Cod Liver Oil Emulsion

Coming in at first place with the most votes was cod liver oil emulsion.

According to several of my colleagues, they mostly hated it because the smell, taste and texture was off-putting.

Or as one colleague put it rather succinctly, "it’s like bad mayonnaise".

Another colleague added: “My parents used to make me drink the orange flavoured one and I actually think I don’t like the taste of orange because of this, so it’s a form of childhood trauma.”

Finally, a third one said that her mum used to feed her siblings and her cod liver oil to help improve their memory or make them more energetic: "However, I really hated it because of the flavour and the fishy smell. Up till now, I still won’t take it even if I’m tired or have a late night."

Chicken Essence

Next on the list was chicken essence.

According to two of my colleagues, they hated it because of its taste and smell as well:

“I was made to drink chicken essence during exam periods when I was younger and I really didn’t like it because it tasted really salty and smelled super unpleasant. Now that I’ve grown up, I don’t even drink stout because there's a flavour in stout that reminds me of chicken essence.”

Another colleague concurred, saying: “In the past, my parents tried chicken essence on me and I immediately puked it out. It tasted nothing like what I saw on the commercials and I have no idea how kids used to down it like that.”

Broccoli, Long Beans and Ginkgo Nuts

Coming in at a tie for third place were broccoli, long beans and ginkgo nuts.

Like the first two contenders, my colleagues hated these food items for their taste and texture.

“Long beans were (and still are) one of my least favourite vegetables. Whenever they appeared on the dinner table, I would come up with increasingly ridiculous strategies so I wouldn't have to eat them. Eventually, my parents stopped trying to make me eat them after I proved that I had no issues with most other vegetables,” said one.

Another declared it a crime against the traditional Chinese dessert cheng tng. “My mom used to feed me with gingko nuts by saying that it would make me smarter but it tasted so bad. Ruined my cheng tng every time.”

Sugar-free gummies for smarter kids

It’s no surprise that most parents just want the best for their kids, even if this means feeding them with icky-but-nutritious food and supplements.

However, not all ‘good-for-you’ food and supplements need to taste bad, especially when there’s such a wide variety of health products for parents to choose from these days.

For starters, one can try Brainfit’s sugar-free gummies, which have been designed as a healthy but tasty brain supplement for kids aged two to 14.

Unlike most other gummy bears which contain 50 to 70 per cent sugar, Brainfit’s gummies are:

• Sugar-free
• Dairy/milk-free
• Gelatin-free
• Tooth-friendly

They also contain no artificial colours or preservatives.

Compared to normal fish oil, these gummies are even packed with Omega-3, DHA & EPA from krill, which contains natural antioxidants, and are purer with better absorption.

To top it all off, each gummy also contains the key ingredient of soy-based Phosphatidylserine (PS)*, which helps:

• Strengthen one’s memory
• Improve mental acuity
• Increase vigilance and attention
• Intensify one’s concentration
• Boost learning

*Phosphatidylserine (PS) is backed by over 3,000 research studies and more than 60 clinical studies with proven results.

Interested parents can now purchase Brainfit gummies at the following places:

• Lazada
• Shopee
• NCI flagship store

For Brainfit giveaways and prizes, join them on their first live-stream on Viu Singapore Facebook at 8:30pm, June 26.

To find out more, click here.

This sponsored article by Brainfit Gummies made this writer wish that her parents had fed her these gummies when she was younger.

Top image via Getty Images