Empower Clinics Inc EPWCF

Tall tales from the north

[Outlander1]

 

While this polar bear could easily make a meal out of you, one bite of his liver could be enough to send you to the hospital. GALAXIID/GETTY IMAGES

Liver has long been a staple in many diets. Deep-fried chicken livers are a favorite in parts of the American South. Travel to Germany and you can feast on traditional liverwurst. In Japan, you can order a heaping helping of sashimi made with raw fish liver. As delicious (or disgusting) as some of these dishes may sound to you, not every bird, fish or mammal necessarily offers the best ingredients for a culinary masterpiece. In fact, if you ever have the chance to try polar bear liver, think twice -- it may be the last meal you ever eat.

The native peoples of the Arctic have never shied away from cooking up some polar bear stew, but they've long known to avoid eating the livers of various arctic creatures. Western explorers, however, learned the hard way. As early as 1596, explorers returned to Europe with accounts of horrible illnesses resulting from the consumption of polar bear liver [source: Rodahl and Moore].